Myopia control: knowledge and attitude of newly qualified optometrists in South Africa
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Date
2023
Authors
Rawat, Nasrin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Interest in myopia control has intensified due to increasing myopia prevalence globally. Due to the critical role of the optometrist in myopia control and the importance of undergraduate education in clinical decision-making, it is vital to explore the knowledge and attitude of newly qualified optometrists.
This study aimed to describe the knowledge and attitude of new optometry graduates toward myopia control and their attitude toward the undergraduate education and training on the topic.
The study utilised a cross-sectional, descriptive design where quantitative data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. New graduates who qualified from an undergraduate optometry program in South Africa within the past 24 months were included in the study. An advertisement and a link to the study were circulated via social media and higher education institutions. The questionnaire contained a demographics section, three sections measuring the myopia control knowledge of participants, one section measuring attitude toward myopia control, and one section measuring attitude toward undergraduate education and training of myopia control. The closed-ended questions were scored, and Bloom’s cutoff point was used to grade the levels of knowledge and attitude measured. Validity of the instrument was ensured through face and content validity pre-data collection while factor analysis was conducted post-data collection. Internal consistency of the instrument was measured using Cronbach’s alpha post-data collection. The Department of Biostatistics, University of the Free State, supported the analysis of data and further analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 28. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for categorical data while interquartile ranges and medians were determined for numerical data. The Chi-square goodness of fit test was used to determine how representative the sample was of the population, and the Chi-square test of associations was used to determine if associations existed between the level of knowledge and levels of attitude found.
A response rate of 57.6% (n=170) was reached within the data collection period. Most participants (58.2%) showed poor overall knowledge. Less than a quarter of participants were able to identify conditions that are associated with high myopia, such as posterior subcapsular cataract (24.12%), posterior staphyloma (18.82%), and choroidal neovascularisation (13.53%). The lowest performing section tested participants’ knowledge of myopia control strategies where a sizeable percentage of participants per question indicated that they were unsure about the success of the myopia control strategy presented (24.71-44.12%). While the attitude toward myopia control was largely neutral (68.82%), participants believed in the effectiveness of myopia control (85.88%) and acknowledged the need for myopia control (86.67%). Most participants (90%) also believed that myopia control belonged in optometric clinical practice.
A majority of participants (82.35%) displayed a neutral attitude toward undergraduate education and training of myopia control. Clinical training of myopia control was deemed less adequate than the theoretical knowledge received at undergraduate level. Participants believed that undergraduate education required more lectures (89.41%), clinical training (87.06%), and emphasis (91.98%) on the topic of myopia control. An association between the knowledge and attitude of myopia control among participants was found to be statistically significant (p<.001).
Although participants did believe in the effectiveness of myopia control and recognised its role in combatting increasing myopia prevalence, poor knowledge was predominant among participants. The knowledge gaps identified related to outdated information, poor interpretation, and poor knowledge of strategies used in myopia control. The neutral attitude toward myopia control found in this study could be improved by increased knowledge on the topic.
Description
Dissertation (M.Optom.(Optometry))--University of the Free State, 2023
Keywords
Myopia management, myopia onset, myopia progression, strategies, high myopia, perspectives, undergraduate, curriculum, education, training