title: Awareness of eye diseases and risk factors: identifying needs for health education and promotion in Canada.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the level of general public knowledge in Canada regarding the risk factors, prevention, and treatment of major blinding eye diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was a cross-sectional survey using self-administered questionnaires of patients presenting to 33 family practitioners' offices in British Columbia. We asked patients' opinions on the "value" of preventing blindness; the possibility of preventing cataract, glaucoma, and macular degeneration; the possibility of treating these conditions; and their knowledge of risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 882 adults completed the questionnaires. Preventing vision loss was reported as one of 2 top health priorities in 28% of the questionnaires, more commonly by those with higher education and non-European ancestry. Overall, 69.2% reported familiarity with cataract as a cause of vision loss, 41.2% with glaucoma, and 20.2% with macular degeneration. Of these, 97.5% recognized the possibility of treatment for cataract, 91.5% for glaucoma, and 77.0% for macular degeneration, yet few respondents knew risk factors (amenable to intervention) for specific eye diseases. Men and younger respondents were more likely to report not knowing risk factors. Chinese-Canadians were least familiar with the association between smoking and cataract. Family history, probably the most important factor to help diagnose glaucoma, was recognized by only 23% of respondents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although loss of vision was reported as a major medical concern, there is little understanding of the risk factors for different eye diseases. The association of non-European ancestry and low educational attainment with poor knowledge of eye diseases suggests that innovative education programmes in primary and secondary schools and in non-English languages are needed to improve knowledge, attitudes, and practices.
authors.affiliation: British Columbia Centre for Epidemiologic & International Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, University of British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Kukuh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Noertjojo
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maberley
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bassett
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Courtright
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires