Knowledge and Attitude about Eye Donation among First and Second versus Final Year MBBS Students: A Cross-sectional Study

ntroduction: The cure of corneal blindness requires manifold increase in the rate of eye donation. The present study was undertaken to assess the knowledge and attitude about eye donation among medical students. A secondary objective of the study was to assess the impact of knowledge of eye donation after studying ophthalmology among the final year students of the MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery) graduation course.

Aim: To assess knowledge and attitude about eye donation among first, second and final year medical students. Also, to assess the impact of studying ‘Ophthalmology’ on their knowledge.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by collecting information on a predesigned, structured questionnaire on ‘Google forms’ and sending a soft copy to 601 students of two medical colleges i.e, GGS Medical College, Faridkot and Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India, by email, from March 2019 to April 2019. There were questions about awareness and source of information about eye donation in medical students, knowledge of criteria, and willingness to donate eyes. Responses were accepted till a period of seven days. Students were divided into two groups; group A (n=320 students) with 165 students in first professional year and 155 in second professional year, who had not studied Ophthalmology. Group B (n=281 students) with 142 students in final (part I) professional year and 139 in final (part II) professional year, who had/were studying Ophthalmology. Results were analysed and compared using Chi-square test.

Results: Out of 601 students, 527 responded (272 of group A and 255 of group B). The results on knowledge and willingness to donate eyes were quite encouraging. Most of the questions were answered by more than 400 students. Majority of students cited teachers/friends as their source of knowledge. However, there was a significant gap in knowledge in the students, specially before reading Ophthalmology (p-value <0.05).

Conclusion: More efforts in the form of counselling techniques, short trainings, videos, need to be put into medical curriculum, ophthalmology teaching and short in-job trainings to make the MBBS students an important link in increasing cornea retrieval.