Awareness of blindness related to smoking

ABSTRACT

To explore the level of knowledge about the relation between smoking and eye disease. Across sectional survey using an interview questionnaire in an out-patient department at Queen Alia Military Hospital attending general medicine, general surgery, ophthalmology and family medicine clinics. The questionnaire included information about age, gender, academic level and awareness of relation of smoking to three well known diseases [lung cancer, coronary artery diseases, stroke] in addition to blindness. Deafness was added as a distracter condition. Four hundred and twenty eight attendees participated in the study, 200 of them were in the waiting area of ophthalmology clinic and 228 were in the waiting area of the other clinics, 62% were males and 38% were females. The age of attendees ranged between 19 years and 85 years. The mean age was [39.2 yrs]. About 31% were smokers and 69% were non-smokers. A total of 95%, 93%, 73% participants stated that smoking can cause cancer, heart disease and stroke respectively. Only 18% and 14.4% of patients stated that smoking may cause blindness and deafness respectively. A total 52% of patients were having lung cancer as the most fearful related disease to smoking followed by heart disease [18.6%], then stroke [15%]. The least fearful related diseases were blindness in!4% of patients, followed by deafness in 2.3% of patients. Our results showed that people are aware that smoking can cause lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke; however awareness of the risk of blindness from smoking is relatively low. Public information campaigns and new pack warning that are novel and specific for blindness should be included on cigarette packs