title: Awareness of eye donation in an adult population of southern India. A pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine "awareness of eye donation" and corneal transplantation in an adult population of southern India.
  
  
  METHODS
  507 participants chosen by systematic random sampling were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Participants were selected among patients attending two community outreach programmes at different sites, and from patients presenting directly to the hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  257 participants (50.69%) were aware of eye donations. The major source of awareness was publicity campaigns (n=105). Only 22 (4.34%) participants were aware that eye donation had to be done within 6 hours of death. Four hundred and three (79.50%) participants were not aware of corneal transplantation. Illiteracy and rural residence were more likely predictors of ignorance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although multiple strategies are currently followed to increase awareness of eye donations and corneal transplants, more innovative strategies have to be developed, especially to target illiterate and rural populations.
authors.affiliation: Aravind Eye Care System, and Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology, Madurai, India.
authors.forename: Brinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Priyadarshini
authors.forename: Muthiah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
authors.forename: Alagarsamy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Padmavathi
authors.forename: Sethuraman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Selvam
authors.forename: Ramasubbu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saradha
authors.forename: Praveen K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Nirmalan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001364:Awareness; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D005125:Eye Banks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014019:Tissue Donors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*