Level of knowledge and Attitude regarding Eye Donation among Undergraduate students
Frank J.C1, Suman Vashist2, Deva Pon Pushpam.I1
1Ph.D Scholar, Teerthanker Mahaveer College of Nursing, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
2HOD Cum Professor, Teerthanker Mahaveer College of Nursing, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
*Corresponding Author E-mail: jc.franklinnurse@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
Background: Eye donation plays a crucial role in restoring vision for individuals with corneal blindness, which remains a significant public health concern in many countries. Despite widespread awareness campaigns, the rate of eye donation continues to fall short due to misunderstandings, ignorance and differing views among the younger population. College students, as educated and socially responsive individuals, represent a key group whose awareness and willingness can greatly influence donation rates. Understanding their knowledge and attitudes is essential to design effective interventions that can promote eye donation practices. A descriptive study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge and attitude regarding eye donation among under graduate students of Govt. Degree College, Mishriwala. The objectives were to assess the level of knowledge and attitude regarding eye donation, to associate the level of knowledge and attitude and to find out the association between the knowledge and attitude with selected socio demographic variables. Methods: A quantitative approach, non experimental descriptive research design was adopted. 100 samples were selected using purposive sampling technique. A self structured questionnaire and likert scale were used to collect data. Results: Majority of the samples 69% had average level of knowledge, 26% had above average level of knowledge and 5% had below average level of knowledge. In terms of attitude 69% had favourable attitude and 31% had unfavourable attitude. There was a weak positive correlation (0.29) between level of knowledge and attitude which was significant at 0.05 level. There was a significant association between area of residence and source of information with the level of knowledge. There was a significant association between gender and religion with the level of attitude. Conclusion: Targeted educational initiatives can significantly improve their willingness to participate in this noble cause.
KEYWORDS: Eye donation, Knowledge, Attitude, Students.
INTRODUCTION:
Blindness and visual impairment remain major global health challenges. Corneal blindness contributes significantly to this burden, especially in developing countries1. It is estimated that millions of people worldwide suffer from corneal diseases that can potentially be treated through transplantation2.
Eye donation is the process of donating corneal tissue after death, which can restore vision in individuals with corneal opacity. However, the availability of donor corneas remains insufficient to meet the demand3. Several barriers contribute to low eye donation rates, including lack of awareness, myths, religious beliefs, and misconceptions about the donation process4.
Undergraduate students are a crucial group for promoting eye donation, as they are educated, socially active, and capable of influencing community attitudes. Studies have shown that youth can act as change agents in spreading awareness and encouraging donation practices5.
Recent studies indicate that although awareness has improved, detailed knowledge and actual willingness to donate remain inadequate6,7. Therefore, assessing knowledge and attitude among students is essential to design effective interventions.
OBJECTIVES:
1. To assess the level of knowledge regarding eye donation among undergraduate students
2. To assess the level of attitude regarding eye donation among undergraduate students
3. To find the association between knowledge and attitude with selected socio-demographic variables
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
A quantitative approach, non experimental descriptive research design was adopted. The study population comprised of 100 undergraduate students from Govt. Degree College, Mishriwala. Samples were selected using purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic variables, 20 knowledge questions, and 10 item likert scale in the month of August 2025. The study samples included both male and female students who can understand English or Hindi. The study excluded those who were not willing and not available at the time of data collection.
Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee of Bee Enn College of Nursing. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. Descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage were used to describe variables. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship between knowledge and attitude. Chi square test was used to assess the association between knowledge and attitude with socio demographic variables.
RESULTS:
The socio demographic characteristics, knowledge levels and attitude levels are presented in the following tables:
Table 1: Socio demographic characteristics of undergraduate students N=100
|
Variables |
Category |
Frequency (n) |
Percentage (%) |
|
Age (in years) |
18-20 |
56 |
56 |
|
21-23 |
28 |
28 |
|
|
24-26 |
16 |
16 |
|
|
Gender |
Male |
55 |
55 |
|
Female |
45 |
45 |
|
|
Religion |
Hindu |
77 |
77 |
|
Muslim |
18 |
18 |
|
|
Sikh |
05 |
05 |
|
|
Others |
00 |
00 |
|
|
Area of Residence |
Urban |
36 |
36 |
|
Rural |
64 |
64 |
|
|
Source of information |
Friends and relatives |
20 |
20 |
|
Social media |
42 |
42 |
|
|
Health care workers |
24 |
24 |
|
|
Others |
14 |
14 |
|
|
Willingness to donate Eyes |
Yes |
30 |
30 |
|
No |
26 |
26 |
|
|
Undecided |
44 |
44 |
Table 2: Distribution of undergraduate students according to the level of knowledge regarding eye donation N=100
|
Level of Knowledge |
Score range |
Frequency (n) |
Percentage (%) |
|
Below average |
0-10 |
05 |
05 |
|
Average |
11-15 |
69 |
69 |
|
Above average |
16-20 |
26 |
26 |
Table 3: Distribution of undergraduate students according to the level of attitude regarding eye donation
N=100
|
Level of Attitude |
Score range |
Frequency (n) |
Percentage (%) |
|
Unfavourable |
10-30 |
31 |
31 |
|
Favourable |
31-50 |
69 |
69 |
Majority of the samples 69% had average level of knowledge, 26% had above average level of knowledge and 5% had below average level of knowledge. In terms of attitude 69% had favourable attitude and 31% had unfavourable attitude. There was a weak positive correlation (0.29) between level of knowledge and attitude which was significant at 0.05 level. There was a significant association between area of residence and source of information with the level of knowledge. There was a significant association between gender and religion with the level of attitude.
DISCUSSION:
The present study revealed that majority of the undergraduate students had average level of knowledge regarding eye donation. This finding was supported by Dubey et al. (2024) reported that students had moderate awareness but lacked detailed knowledge about the eye donation process8.
The present study revealed that majority of the samples had favourable attitude. This finding was in accordance with a study conducted by Deswal et al. (2024) which reported positive attitudes among college students toward eye donation9.
There was a weak positive correlation (0.29) between level of knowledge and attitude which was significant at 0.05 level. This result was supported by Mehreen et al. (2023) found a positive correlation between knowledge and attitude10.
There was a significant association between area of residence and source of information with the level of knowledge. There was a significant association between gender and religion with the level of attitude. These results were supported by Dinesh et al. (2022) highlights the increasing role of digital media in promoting awareness about organ donation11.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
Nil.
ETHICAL APPROVAL:
This study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of Bee Enn College of Nursing.
CONCLUSION:
The study concludes that undergraduate students have moderate knowledge and favourable attitude toward eye donation. However, gaps in knowledge and misconceptions persist. Educational interventions, awareness campaigns, and integration of eye donation topics into academic curricula are essential to improve knowledge and promote positive practices12,13. Encouraging students to pledge eye donation can help bridge the gap between demand and supply of donor corneas.
REFERENCES:
1. World Health Organization. Global Report on Vision. Geneva: WHO; 2024.
2. National Programme for Control of Blindness. Annual Report. New Delhi: MOHFW; 2023.
3. Dandona R, Dandona L. Burden of Corneal blindness. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2022; 70(1): 1–5.
4. Kacheri A, Mudhol R, Chougule S, Reny R, Kamath S, Kamath R. Awareness, knowledge, willingness, and barriers regarding eye donation among students. Scientific World Journal. 2022; 2022: 5206043.
5. Anitha V, Tandon R, Shah SG, Radhakrishnan N, Singh S, Murugesan V. Corneal blindness and eye banking: current strategies and best practices. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2023; 71(9): 3142–3148.
6. Mudhol RR, Bullapur NH. Awareness and perspectives on eye donation among medical students and professionals. Cureus. 2024; 16(8): e67757.
7. Showail M, Aljuhani R. Factors associated with willingness for corneal donation. Clin Ophthalmol. 2025; 19: 4525–4534.
8. Dubey M et al. Eye Donation Awareness amongst Students of a Medical College and Allied University in Urban Central India. International Journal of Medicine and Public Health. 2024; 14(3): 186-192
9. Deswal J, et al. Awareness and attitude towards eye donation amongst first year postgraduate students in a medical college in Haryana, India. Indian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology. 2024; 10(4): 733-738.
10. Dr Mehreen Latif, et al. Attitude And Knowledge Towards Organ Donation Among Medical Students at Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Medical College Bemina Srinagar. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology. 2023; 30(19): 2282-2286.
11. Dinesh Eshwar M, Jabeen A, Jalily Q, et al. Knowledge, Awareness, and Perception of Common Eye Diseases and Eye Donation Among People Seeking Healthcare in a Tertiary Hospital in Telangana, South India. Cureus. 2022; 14(11): e31412.
12. Vallinayagam M et.al. A Study on Eye Donation Awareness Among Medical and Engineering Students in Puducherry. Delhi J Ophthalmology. 2023; 28(1): 20-24
13. Goyal et al. Knowledge and Attitude about Eye Donation among First and Second versus Final Year MBBS Students: A Cross-sectional Study. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. 2023; 17(1): NC05-NC09
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Received on 29.03.2026 Revised on 16.04.2026 Accepted on 02.05.2026 Published on 05.05.2026 Available online from May 09, 2026 A and V Pub Int. J. of Nursing and Med. Res. 2026; 5(2):72-74. DOI: 10.52711/ijnmr.2026.16 ©A and V Publications All right reserved
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