Indian Journal of Ophthalmology

COMMUNITY EYE CARE
Year
: 2004  |  Volume : 52  |  Issue : 1  |  Page : 73--78

Awareness of eye donation in the rural population of India


S Krishnaiah, V Kovai, R Nutheti, Bindiganavale R Shamanna, R Thomas, Gullapalli N Rao 
 International Centre for Advancement of Rural Eye Care, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India

Correspondence Address:
S Krishnaiah
International Centre for Advancement of Rural Eye Care, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad
India

Purpose: To determine the �DQ�awareness of eye donation�DQ� and �DQ�willingness to pledge eyes for donation�DQ� in the rural population of Andhra Pradesh, southern India. Methods: A total of 7,775 subjects of all ages, representative of the rural population of Andhra Pradesh, participated in the Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study (APEDS). Subjects older than 15 years were interviewed regarding awareness of eye donation and willingness to pledge eyes for donation. Results: Age-gender adjusted prevalence of awareness of eye donation in this population was 30.7% (95% CI: 29.5 - 31.9) but only 0.1% (age-gender adjusted prevalence) (95% CI: 0.05 - 0.25) had pledged eyes. On multivariate analysis the awareness of eye donation was significantly less in those subjects � 70 years old (OR 0.7; 95% CI: 0.6-0.8), illiterates (OR 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1-0.2), females (OR 0.8; 95% CI: 0.7-0.9), lower socioeconomic status group (OR 0.4; 95% CI: 0.4-0.5) and Christians (OR 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1-0.6). Media comprised the major source of information about eye donation. Of those aware of eye donation, 32.9% were willing to pledge eyes, and 50.6% needed more information to decide whether or not to pledge their eyes. Conclusions: There needs to be more transfer of knowledge if more eyes are to be pledged. One-third of those aware of eye donation have not pledged their eyes, and an additional 50.6% needed more information to decide. This means only about one-fifth of those aware of eye donations have pledged their eyes.


How to cite this article:
Krishnaiah S, Kovai V, Nutheti R, Shamanna BR, Thomas R, Rao GN. Awareness of eye donation in the rural population of India.Indian J Ophthalmol 2004;52:73-78


How to cite this URL:
Krishnaiah S, Kovai V, Nutheti R, Shamanna BR, Thomas R, Rao GN. Awareness of eye donation in the rural population of India. Indian J Ophthalmol [serial online] 2004 [cited 2024 Mar 28 ];52:73-78
Available from: https://journals.lww.com/ijo/pages/default.aspx/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2004;volume=52;issue=1;spage=73;epage=78;aulast=Krishnaiah;type=0