Eye Donation: Knowledge, Beliefs, Awareness, and Willingness Among Ambulance Drivers in Central India

Rajesh Subhash Joshi, Pranshu Goel, Vaishnavi Hitesh Adatiya, Ayushi Sanjay Seth, Ashwini Vitthalrao Rasal Department of Ophthalmology, Government Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, 440003, IndiaCorrespondence: Rajesh Subhash Joshi, Department of Ophthalmology, Government Medical College, Nagpur,...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Joshi RS, Goel P, Adatiya VH, Seth AS, Rasal AV
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2023-05-01
Series:Clinical Ophthalmology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/eye-donation-knowledge-beliefs-awareness-and-willingness-among-ambulan-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OPTH
_version_ 1827955379486588928
author Joshi RS
Goel P
Adatiya VH
Seth AS
Rasal AV
author_facet Joshi RS
Goel P
Adatiya VH
Seth AS
Rasal AV
author_sort Joshi RS
collection DOAJ
description Rajesh Subhash Joshi, Pranshu Goel, Vaishnavi Hitesh Adatiya, Ayushi Sanjay Seth, Ashwini Vitthalrao Rasal Department of Ophthalmology, Government Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, 440003, IndiaCorrespondence: Rajesh Subhash Joshi, Department of Ophthalmology, Government Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, 440003, India, Email jrajesh5@rediffmail.comAim: To determine the awareness about and willingness to donate eyes among ambulance drivers in Central India.Design: Prospective, observational, noncomparative, and cross-sectional survey study.Setting: Tertiary eye care center in Central India.Methods: The present study used a structured questionnaire distributed to ambulance drivers during the eye donation fortnight (August 25–September 8, 2022). The questionnaire comprised four domains: awareness, knowledge beliefs, and willingness to donate eyes. The collected data were entered into an Excel sheet and analyzed using SPSS software.Results: Forty-seven ambulance drivers participated in the study. All participants were men. The results showed that 48.9% (n = 23) of the ambulance drivers had completed elementary or middle school education. Furthermore, 27 (57%) participants were aware of eye donation; however, only 14 (29.7%) realized its importance. The source of information was mobile phones (n = 20, 42.6%). The common reason for the nondonation of eyes was lack of awareness (n = 14 29.7%). Thirty-five (74.5%) ambulance drivers were willing to donate their eyes, and the most common reason was the gratification derived from helping blind people.Conclusion: The study revealed the need to improve awareness and knowledge about eye donation among the participants. Arranging short sessions round the year, addressing the myths associated with eye donation, and sharing motivational stories may help create awareness. Display of information and booklets on eye donation in the ambulance is likely to help in obtaining more corneas for transplantation.Keywords: corneal transplantation, eye donation, eye donation fortnight, awareness of eye donation
first_indexed 2024-04-09T14:45:57Z
format Article
id doaj.art-b6fa22576eba4d37b23a39e477ff9aa0
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1177-5483
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-09T14:45:57Z
publishDate 2023-05-01
publisher Dove Medical Press
record_format Article
series Clinical Ophthalmology
spelling doaj.art-b6fa22576eba4d37b23a39e477ff9aa02023-05-02T18:20:13ZengDove Medical PressClinical Ophthalmology1177-54832023-05-01Volume 171263126983427Eye Donation: Knowledge, Beliefs, Awareness, and Willingness Among Ambulance Drivers in Central IndiaJoshi RSGoel PAdatiya VHSeth ASRasal AVRajesh Subhash Joshi, Pranshu Goel, Vaishnavi Hitesh Adatiya, Ayushi Sanjay Seth, Ashwini Vitthalrao Rasal Department of Ophthalmology, Government Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, 440003, IndiaCorrespondence: Rajesh Subhash Joshi, Department of Ophthalmology, Government Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, 440003, India, Email jrajesh5@rediffmail.comAim: To determine the awareness about and willingness to donate eyes among ambulance drivers in Central India.Design: Prospective, observational, noncomparative, and cross-sectional survey study.Setting: Tertiary eye care center in Central India.Methods: The present study used a structured questionnaire distributed to ambulance drivers during the eye donation fortnight (August 25–September 8, 2022). The questionnaire comprised four domains: awareness, knowledge beliefs, and willingness to donate eyes. The collected data were entered into an Excel sheet and analyzed using SPSS software.Results: Forty-seven ambulance drivers participated in the study. All participants were men. The results showed that 48.9% (n = 23) of the ambulance drivers had completed elementary or middle school education. Furthermore, 27 (57%) participants were aware of eye donation; however, only 14 (29.7%) realized its importance. The source of information was mobile phones (n = 20, 42.6%). The common reason for the nondonation of eyes was lack of awareness (n = 14 29.7%). Thirty-five (74.5%) ambulance drivers were willing to donate their eyes, and the most common reason was the gratification derived from helping blind people.Conclusion: The study revealed the need to improve awareness and knowledge about eye donation among the participants. Arranging short sessions round the year, addressing the myths associated with eye donation, and sharing motivational stories may help create awareness. Display of information and booklets on eye donation in the ambulance is likely to help in obtaining more corneas for transplantation.Keywords: corneal transplantation, eye donation, eye donation fortnight, awareness of eye donationhttps://www.dovepress.com/eye-donation-knowledge-beliefs-awareness-and-willingness-among-ambulan-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OPTHcorneal transplantationeye donationeye donation fortnightawareness of eye donation
spellingShingle Joshi RS
Goel P
Adatiya VH
Seth AS
Rasal AV
Eye Donation: Knowledge, Beliefs, Awareness, and Willingness Among Ambulance Drivers in Central India
Clinical Ophthalmology
corneal transplantation
eye donation
eye donation fortnight
awareness of eye donation
title Eye Donation: Knowledge, Beliefs, Awareness, and Willingness Among Ambulance Drivers in Central India
title_full Eye Donation: Knowledge, Beliefs, Awareness, and Willingness Among Ambulance Drivers in Central India
title_fullStr Eye Donation: Knowledge, Beliefs, Awareness, and Willingness Among Ambulance Drivers in Central India
title_full_unstemmed Eye Donation: Knowledge, Beliefs, Awareness, and Willingness Among Ambulance Drivers in Central India
title_short Eye Donation: Knowledge, Beliefs, Awareness, and Willingness Among Ambulance Drivers in Central India
title_sort eye donation knowledge beliefs awareness and willingness among ambulance drivers in central india
topic corneal transplantation
eye donation
eye donation fortnight
awareness of eye donation
url https://www.dovepress.com/eye-donation-knowledge-beliefs-awareness-and-willingness-among-ambulan-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OPTH
work_keys_str_mv AT joshirs eyedonationknowledgebeliefsawarenessandwillingnessamongambulancedriversincentralindia
AT goelp eyedonationknowledgebeliefsawarenessandwillingnessamongambulancedriversincentralindia
AT adatiyavh eyedonationknowledgebeliefsawarenessandwillingnessamongambulancedriversincentralindia
AT sethas eyedonationknowledgebeliefsawarenessandwillingnessamongambulancedriversincentralindia
AT rasalav eyedonationknowledgebeliefsawarenessandwillingnessamongambulancedriversincentralindia