Clinical Presentation and Management of Foreign Bodies in Airway of Pediatrics – A Retrospective Study

ABSTRACT

Background:Knowing the degree of populations’ knowledge concerning eye health and the factors that contribute to eye problems can serve to complement many effective eye health care promotion strategies. Aim: the purpose of this study is to evaluate the knowledge regarding common eye diseases and awareness of eye care among the Saudi population and to explore existing eye-related misconceptions and malpractices in the community. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jeddah city, during September and October 2016, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed on the patients and medical staff at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) and on public in Red Sea Mall in Jeddah City. We selected a random sample of 470 participants, with an age range between 20 and 60. All data collected was analyzed using SPSS software version 20.0. Results: Of the 470 surveyed participants, the weighten mean age was 45 years, 47% were male and 53% were female. The majority of participants were aware of refractive errors (90%), cataract (71%), diabetic retinopathy (DR) (62%) and glaucoma (53%), yet only 10% had heard of amblyopia, and 3% of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Most individuals surveyed (81.9%) believed that good vision is vital to overall health. only 32% were aware of smoking risks on visual impairment. Less than 10% had an eye check at least once a year and individuals with higher educational level and better socio-economic status were associated with higher frequency of eye checks. A lower proportion (46%) of participants reported that they knew that vision loss could be prevented (p<0.001). Nearly half of respondents had identified sunlight and family heritage as risk factors for common eye diseases. Conclusion: The majority of the participants were aware of the common eye diseases. However, our results showed alarge gap between public awareness and practices related to vision health. Public health promotion should be designed to address these gaps.