Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Among Primary Health Care Workers in District Health Care Centers in Terengganu

Authors

  • Rajaratnam Natashini Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah (HSNZ), Terengganu, Malaysia
  • Syahida Wahab Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
  • Zhe Ngoo Qi Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
  • Liza Sharmini Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia

Keywords:

Diabetic retinopathy, knowledge, attitude, practices, primary care

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the main causes of avoidable blindness among diabetes patients. The role of primary health care workers (PHCWs) as the spearhead in primary care is important to prevent visual impairment and blindness due to diabetic retinopathy by early detection. Purpose: To assess the knowledge, attitude, practice among PHCWs in the district health care centers in Terengganu. Method: This analytical cross-sectional study, which utilized a questionnaire, was conducted in two phases from 1 January 2022 to 30 November 2022. Phase I took place online and focused on the creation and validation of a questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to diabetic retinopathy screening among PHCWs which was later used in phase II. Phase II involved participation of PHCWs in self-filling questionnaire regarding KAP on DR screening.Results: Of the 118 PHCWs in this study, 92 (92%) respondents were female and 26 (22%) were male. The mean age of the study group was 32.75 ± 4.4 years (range 27-52). 42.4% had high level of knowledge with 31 senior PHCWs compared to 19 junior PHCWs scoring high level. About 23.7% had good practice with 17 senior PHCWs exhibiting it compared to 11 junior PHCWs. Our study reported that they had good knowledge of the relationship between DR and other end organs affected by microvascular complications. Our study participants showed positive attitude with 94.9% of the participants disagree that eye examination is only required in diabetic patients when vision is affected with 32.2% referring their diabetic patients to an ophthalmologist. Conclusion: DR screening among PHCWs in this study was suboptimal which prompts the need for improved training of PHCWs in managing DR patients in a bid to strengthen DR screening and reduce the burden of visual impairment in Malaysia.

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2025-12-30

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Vol. 10 No. 2 (2025): DECEMBER 2025

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