Age-Related Macular Degeneration Understanding and Awareness in Pakistan: A Realistic Epidemiological Survey

Abstract

Abstract BACKGROUND: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been a preeminent cause of blindness and a matter of community health concern due to its high prevalence in older populations above 40 years of age. Literature regarding AMD awareness among the urban Pakistani population is very limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a comprehensive survey on the urban population of Karachi, Pakistan, to evaluate their knowledge and preventive practices (KAP) regarding AMD. Another objective was to see the influence of demographic factors on knowledge level in participants and to assess the main source of information regarding the disease among the participants. METHODS: The study was conducted on 385 participants over a period of six months between September 2022 and February 2023. To predict the KAP level regarding AMD among participants, the knowledge section of the questionnaire was divided into 17 pointers that included 1 correct definition of the disease, 12 right/wrong risk factors, and 4 right/wrong symptoms of the disease. Participants who were able to answer ≥ 9 pointers, i.e., > 50% correctly, were considered to have “above average” knowledge. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24.0. Descriptive statistics of participants’ sociodemographic factors, knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices were analyzed. Chi-square tests were used to compare sociodemographic factors with the knowledge catalog. RESULTS: Only 161 (41.8%) participants knew about AMD, while 224 (58.2%) did not know about it. The definition of the disease was correctly selected by 86 (53.4%) participants. The correct risk factors (obesity, age, and family history of AMD, smoking, lack of multivitamins, alcohol and unprotected exposure to light) were identified by 11.2%, 23.9%, 17.1%, 11.9%, 9.6%, 8.3% and 9.4%, respectively. The correct symptoms of AMD, such as blurring of vision, were answered by 109 (28.3%) participants, and visual hallucinations and flashes of light were answered correctly by 29 (7.5%) participants. “Above average” knowledge about AMD was found to be statistically significant with the level of education (p < 0.01) and monthly income (p < 0.02) of participants. Social media/newspaper/TV (23.40%) was the most common source of information among participants. CONCLUSION: These figures demand an immense need for eye health education campaigns, either general or targeted toward AMD, to increase the level of awareness and preventive and health-seeking behaviors among the population. Initiatives for public health might be launched to explicitly address these gaps.