Abstract
Purpose :
To evaluate the health literacy amongst parents and caregivers regarding pediatric amblyopia.
Methods :
Seventy parents/caregivers of patients with amblyopia were interviewed at the Universiry of Florida Pediatric Ophthalmology clinic in Gainesville, Florida as they arrived for their appointment. Caregivers were asked open-ended questions about the patient’s diagnosis and treatment. Their demographic information was collected.
Results :
86.5% of caregivers knew how many hours they were instructed to be patching, 91.4% correctly understood the purpose of patching or atropine eyedrop treatment, and 61.4% had an acceptable idea of what happens if amblyopia is not treated. 65.7% of caregivers were unable to name the eye condition the patient has, 67.1% did not have an acceptable understanding of what amblyopia is, and 82.9% did not correctly understand what causes amblyopia. Caregivers within certain demographic populations, such as those with Medicaid insurance, those that live farther from clinic, and those with lower levels of formal education, tended to have lower health literacy in comparison to their respective counterparts.
Conclusions :
Caregivers tended to have a stronger understanding of the treatment and prognosis of the patient’s disease as opposed to the pathophysiology and etiology of the patient’s disease. Improved education initiatives could be created to improve these deficits in health literacy, increase compliance, and ultimately facilitate more successful health outcomes.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.