Awareness of Glaucoma among Health Sciences Students of UiTM Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract

Introduction: Glaucoma is an irreversible blinding disease that occurs due to the damage of the optic nerve caused by increased intraocular pressure. Early diagnosis, treatment, and patient understanding within the community is crucial to prevent further damage and for the preservation of vision. This study aimed to determine the level of awareness and knowledge of glaucoma and its determinant among UiTM health sciences students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among health sciences students at the UiTM Puncak Alam campus. A validated self-administrated questionnaire consisted of three sections with 22 questions was randomly distributed to students as part of data collection. Results: Out of 380 respondents, 61.3% were aware of glaucoma, and most had good knowledge of it. The glaucoma awareness and knowledge were significantly associated with age (p<0.005), the programme of study (p<0.01), and having family members with glaucoma (p<0.05). Conclusion: Even though the respondent’s level of awareness was moderate, their knowledge regarding glaucoma was high. This indicates that respondents who were aware of glaucoma had good basic knowledge. There is a need to raise glaucoma awareness and knowledge among health sciences students, as many were still unaware of the eye disease.