Keywords
Diabetic Retinopathy
Ogun State
Screening
Categories
How to Cite
Abstract
Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) among Medical
Officers (MO) and diabetic patients in Ogun State of Nigeria.
Design: This was a cross-sectional study.
Setting: Diabetic clinics based in three hospitals in Ogun state.
Methods: Medical officers in all the general hospitals were interviewed via telephone while one teaching hospital
and two state hospitals were randomly selected to conduct face-to-face interviews with diabetic patients. Data
obtained from these interviews was filled into a structured questionnaire.
Results: All the medical officers in the general hospitals were aware that DM affects the eyes while 43% believed
that diabetic patients need a monthly eye examination. About 36% examined the eyes of diabetic patients on
each visit. All medical officers would refer a diabetic with poor vision to an ophthalmologist. Majority (75%) of
the patients recruited were female. Fifty-one per cent of patients were not aware that diabetes affects the eyes
while only 35% had ever had a fundoscopy.
Conclusions: The medical officers in the general hospitals in the state are all aware that diabetes can cause DR
but don’t have eye clinics. Less than half of them (43%) screen for DR. Known diabetics are not having regular
eye examination.
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