DEVELOPMENT OF IIUM KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES ON CHILDREN EYE CARE QUESTIONNAIRE (IIUM KPC-EYE Q).

Abstract

In Malaysia, the main causes of visual impairment in children is uncorrected refractive error, which is treatable and preventable. Previous studies reported that, most parents did not bother to bring their children for eye examination, and they believed that routine eye exam is not necessary. It is important to identify the reasons why some parents seek care for their children and others do not. The purpose of this study is to develop a reliable and validated questionnaire that measures the parents’ knowledge and practices on children eye care in Malaysia, namely the IIUM Knowledge and Practices on Children Eye Care Questionnaire (IIUM KPC-EYE Q). Hopefully more information can be obtained regarding the role of perceptions, practices, and awareness in paediatric eye health among parents. The questionnaire is developed based on extensive literature review and it is a semi structured question consisting of 3 sections. Subsequently, face and content validity were obtained from the experts. A pilot study was then conducted to investigate its reliability (n=100). Internal consistency reliability was determined for knowledge and practice items of the questionnaire; Cronbach Alpha’s value is 0.7 and 0.8 respectively. This indicates good reliability of both instruments, and 75% of the respondents agreed the questionnaire are clear and easy to understand. The study (IIUM KPC-EYE Q) is currently in phase 1 out of 3 phases. It is a potentially useful tool in assessing parental knowledge and practices on children eye care among Malaysian parents.