Beyond Community Health Service Provision: Assessing the Knowledge Attitude and Practice of Eye Care among Beneficiaries of an Intervention in an Inner-City Community in Lagos Metropolis

Background: A higher burden of preventable visual impairment has been reported in regions with poor knowledge of eye care, non-availability of or poor uptake of available screening services. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practices as well as factors associated with eyecare among the residents of an inner-city community in Lagos, Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using simple random sampling technique to select 254 consenting participants from a community on Lagos Island. Data was collected electronically using Microsoft office forms and analyzed with SPSS version 23. Frequencies, proportions and tables were used for descriptive analysis. Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were done to identify predictors of the outcome variables.

Results: More of the respondents (52.4% and 61.4%) were middle-aged and female respectively with a mean age of 49.7±16.6 years. About 61.0% of them use prescription eyeglasses, 69.3% had a good knowledge of the importance of routine eye checks. Good attitude and practice of eye care were reported among 78.7% and 68.5% respectively. Respondents with a tertiary level of education were more likely to have a good attitude (OR=2.8; 95% CI=1.115-7.120) and good practice OR=2.7; 95% CI=1.207-5.869) versus lower educational levels.

Conclusion: This study revealed that efforts to increase access to education, particularly in low-income areas, can contribute to improved attitudes and practices related to eye health care. Addressing gaps in knowledge and promoting regular eye check-ups were seen to be essential steps toward achieving better eye health outcomes in Nigeria and similar settings.