Knowledge, attitude, and practice about myopia in school students in Marat city of Saudi Arabia

Anas Abdulaziz Almujalli; Abdulaziz Abdullah Almatrafi; Anas Abdullah Aldael; Hamad Abdullah Almojali; Abdulaziz Ibrahim Almujalli; Aslam Pathan

doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_86_20

Knowledge, attitude, and practice about myopia in school students in Marat city of Saudi Arabia

J Family Med Prim Care. 2020 Jul 30;9(7):3277-3280. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_86_20. eCollection 2020 Jul.

Authors

Anas Abdulaziz Almujalli¹, Abdulaziz Abdullah Almatrafi¹, Anas Abdullah Aldael¹, Hamad Abdullah Almojali¹, Abdulaziz Ibrahim Almujalli¹, Aslam Pathan²

Affiliations

¹ Medical Student, Department of Clinical Sciences, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of youth myopia has increased significantly in the local communities of Saudi Arabia; school children and parents are unaware of the knowledge and complications of myopia.

Objective: To initiate and increase the awareness of myopia among school students and to prevent future complications.

Method: An organized, questionnaire with 14 questions was prepared to analyze the school students' knowledge attitudes and practice about myopia. The study was conducted in a local school in Marat city, Saudi Arabia, between April 2019 and September 2019. The sample size includes 100 male students of age group 7 years to 14 years.

Results: 82% of students have heard about myopia with the majority source of information being parents (62%) and teachers (35%). 45% of the students reported a negative attitude toward the eye-glasses users. 20% of students have reported the use of eye-glasses. Most of the students reported uncomfortable feel and shyness due to wearing of eye-glasses which limits their use.

Conclusion: The public awareness programs by the local governing bodies, local hospitals, health workers, medical colleges, and non-government organizations should be organized in each local school to increase the school students' knowledge, positive attitude, and practice toward myopia.

Keywords: Electronic devices; eye-glasses; local areas; myopia; school children.