title: A proposed methodology for the assessment of glaucoma awareness in Greece: introduction of the EIT-8G scale.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a reliable and practical questionnaire for glaucoma awareness and evaluate the impact of potential determinants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with primary open-angle, pigmentary, and exfoliation glaucoma, as well as healthy controls, were recruited. The instrument included questions about demographic characteristics, as well as 8 questions assessing the participant's familiarity with glaucoma. Rasch analysis was used for the validation of the questionnaire. The effect of demographics as potential determinants of awareness was examined with a multivariate logistic regression analysis. Bonferroni-corrected statistical significance was tested with the Mann-Whitney U test or one-way analysis of variance. Association between demographics and questionnaire scores was examined with Spearman correlation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As indicated by power analysis, responses from 175 patients (mean age 65.5 years) and 314 controls (mean age 43.3 years) were analyzed. Rasch analysis indicated no multidimensionality and good item-person targeting. Mean ± SD awareness scores for the glaucoma and control groups were 4.43 ± 2.10 and 4.20 ± 2.11, respectively (p=0.207). Sex and residence were not predictors of disease awareness, whereas educational level was only a determinant in the control group (p<0.001). Income was a predictor only for patients (r=0.357, p<0.001), whereas family history was predictive for both groups (p<0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that only family history was associated with increased awareness (Chi(2)=4.61, p=0.03, odds ratio 1.98).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study introduces a practical and valid instrument for the assessment of glaucoma awareness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece. labiris@usa.net
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Labiris
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katsanos
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fanariotis
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koutsogianni
authors.forename: Athanassios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giarmoukakis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chatzoulis
authors.forename: Vassilios P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Kozobolis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017889:Exfoliation Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006115:Greece; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult