Knowledge and practice regarding eye donation among degree college students of Belagavi city

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Sight is crucial for our existence. In India, corneal opacity is the leading cause of blindness among people aged 0–49 years. The only treatment for corneal blindness is transplantation, necessitating increased awareness, and dispelling myths about eye donation. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practice regarding eye donation among degree college students of Belagavi city. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1018 degree college students from Belagavi, selected through proportionate sampling. The data were collected using a pretested questionnaire. Collected data were entered using Microsoft Excel and analyzed in SPSS software. RESULTS: The mean ± standard deviation age of participants was 20.15 ± 1.04 years. Among the 1018 students, 12.88% of them had good knowledge score, 65.91% had average knowledge score, and 21.21% had poor knowledge score regarding eye donation. Around 331 (32.50%) of the students had favorable practice score for eye donation activities. CONCLUSION: The study highlights that while most students were aware of eye donation, detailed knowledge and favorable practice was less prevalent. Targeted educational programs could enhance these aspects, ultimately increasing corneal donation rates.

Keywords

• college students
• eye donation
• knowledge
• practice