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Public Information About Eye Care
84
Chapter 11
Public Information About Eye Care • Principle 6. Public awareness and dissemination oj eye care
injormation are needed to reduce the prevalence oj preventable, undiagnosed, and untreated eye i,yury and disease.
Significance of the Principle Public awareness and wide dissemination of eye care information are important means of reducing the risk of eye and visual system injury and disease. promoting knowledgeable decisions regarding utilization of eye care services. and encouraging individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care. Prevention of eye injury and disease as well as early diagnosis and treatment resulting from timely eye care promote vision for Americans. Additionally. self-testing of vision. vision screening of children. and full compliance with recommended eye care are among the benefits related to strong individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care. In aggregate. potential benefits of public awareness and wide dissemination of appropriate. accurate eye care information are of such great magnitude that this principle is a core feature in a national eye care plan.
Major Issues and Related Principles Major issues related to public awareness include the subject of public information regarding overall health care and the appropriate roles of government. schools. employers. and other representatives of society in disseminating health care information. An additional major issue is the role of the news media in distributing timely. accurate. and responsible health care information. Equally important as issues related to public information about eye care are national policies pertaining to quality of eye care. access to eye care. and affordability of eye care. Manifestly. public information and increasing public awareness of the need for eye care must be coupled with a national health care system that provides quality eye care that is accessible and affordable. The principle of public awareness and dissemination of eye care information relates most closely to: • Principle 1. Eye care is an integral component oj health care. • Principle 2. Quality eye care is needed to attain. preserve. and restore best possible visionjor every American. • Principle 3. Access to quality eye care includes direct and referral access to ophthalmologistsjor all Americans. • Principle 4. Quality eye care must be affordable to all Americans.
85
Public Information About Eye Care
Evaluation Public awareness and dissemination of information regarding eye care are needed to reduce the risk of eye injury and disease. to promote knowledgeable decisions by Americans regarding eye care by ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals. and to encourage individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care. Evaluation of this principle warrants consideration of public awareness of eye care. public information regarding utilization of eye care services. and individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care.
Public Awareness of Eye Care Americans fear blindness more than any other health problem except cancer. However. public understanding of the prevention. diagnosis. and treatment of eye disease. and the relative qualifications and scope of services of ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals are quite deflctentt. In 1979. a Gallup poll of 3.000 adults in the United States showed that only 5% of those queried knew the difference between an ophthalmologist and an optometrtsts, In 1982. surveys conducted before and after intensive media campaigns in three cities focused on the ophthalmologist's role in diagnosing and treating glaucoma Before the intensive media campaign. queries to 1.200 persons revealed that 66% identified ophthalmologists as able to examine eyes. 74% identified ophthalmologists as able to diagnose eye disease. 69% identified ophthalmologists as able to treat eye disease. and 72% identified ophthalmologists as being able to prescribe medications. After the intense media campaign. the consumers' knowledge of the ophthalmologist's role in these areas increased by 4-10%. Data regarding the public's awareness of the symptoms and signs of eye disease are limited. It is generally believed. however. that public recognition of the signs and symptoms of eye disease such as amblyopia. diabetic retinopathy. and macular degeneration is poor. Even if the public's awareness of eye disease and of major signs and symptoms were good. the lack of understanding regarding the competence and scope of services provided by ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals would greatly impede knowledgeable decisions regarding timely eye care by ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals. There is little likelihood that the public's recognition of individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care is more than rudimentary. Deficiencies in self-testing of vision. vision screening of children. and compliance with long-term treatment regimens indicate that responsibility for eye care is not widely identified by individuals. families. and groups. Recognizing these limitations in public awareness regarding eye care and the lack of reliable information in this field. studies by ophthalmologic organizations. other eye and health care organizations. and government agencies are recommended to determine the extent of public knowledge regarding care of the eyes and visual system and identification of issues on which it is most important to focus public information activities. Thereafter. effective programs to increase public awareness of eye care merit high priority.
Principle
6
Public awareness and dtsseminatic,>n of eye care iriformation are needed to reduce the prevalence ofpreventable. undiagnosed, and untreated eye injury and disease.
86
The public's lack of understanding regarding the services provided by eye care professionals greatly impedes knowledgeable decisions regarding timely eye care by ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals.
Eye Care for the American People
Public Information Regarding Utilization of Eye Care Services Substantial eye care and health care information is being transmitted to the American public through the news media. schools. employers. government. and other means. These activities are fragmented however. and not designed to promote systematic awareness concerning major aspects of eye care and the appropriate utilization of eye care services. Recognizing the lack of systematic. prioritized information disseminated to the general public. ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals should establish the most important information to communicate to the public and convey this by use of all available news media and other avenues for communication with the American public. Professional judgment and studies of public awareness should determine relative importance of and need for public information regarding: • Prevention of eye injuries in the home. in recreation settings. in the workplace. and elsewhere. • Importance of eye and visual system examinations in infants and children. in adults and the elderly. and in specific circumstances at other times. • Signs or symptoms suggesting the need for medical eye care by an ophthalmologist. • Eye disease risk associated with glaucoma or other family history of eye disease. • Eye disease risk associated with systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus. • Medications that require eye and visual system monitoring such as topical and systemic corticosteroids. • Detection of Vision-threatening eye disease by individual selfassessment of visual acuity. visual field. and binocular vision. • Family and group responsibility for eye and visual system care of infants. children. elderly adults. and others who may be unable to practice effective self-testing and self-care. • Need for compliance with eye disease treatment regimens such as the regular use of medications for glaucoma. • Availability of low-vision aids and rehabilitative services for Americans who have impaired vision or are blind. With priorities of public information established on the basis of systematic studies. effective public information activities may be planned and carried out. News media in the United States playa significant role in providing public information on health issues. Research has demonstrated that media campaigns are effective in improving the public's awareness of eye disease. the need for early diagnosis of eye disease. and the scope of services provided by ophthalmologists and other eye care professtonalss, Public information may also be disseminated by government. schools. employers. health insurance companies. eye care and health care professionals. and health-related organizations. Written materials. audio presentations. and video programs are among the forms of communication that may be used for public education. The American Academy of Ophthalmology has included print
87
Public Information About Eye Care
news releases and electronic information dissemination on a variety of topics affecting the eye and visual system in public information projects and programs. Additionally. public service projects such as the American Academy of Ophthalmology National Eye Care Project (Chapter 9. Affordable Eye Care) and the Worker's Eye Health Project are useful in providing eye care information. The National Society to Prevent Blindness (NSPB). Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB). RP Foundation Fighting Blindness. Lions International. and other eye and health-related organizations have also conducted effective programs to prevent eye injury. establish eye safety standards in the workplace, and generally increase public awareness of eye care. Ophthalmologists and other eye or health care professionals may greatly enhance the effectiveness of public information programs by coordinating with health-related voluntary organizations. by working with groups composed of individuals who have similar age and/or interests. and by participating in community programs. radio presentations. and video programs. Furthermore. on a regular ongoing basis eye care professionals may present public information to patients and families receiving eye care.
Individual. Family. and Group Responsibility for Eye Care
A desired outcome of public information is increased individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care. The individual is responsible for noting symptoms or signs of vision-threatening eye disease. for self-testing of visual acuity. visual field. and binocular vision at appropriate intervals. for obtaining eye examinations and vision screening procedures at appropriate intervals. and for complying with eye disease treatment recommendations. Family responsibility for eye care is increasingly important as the significance of early diagnosis and treatment of eye disease in infants and children as well as the elderly and other dependent adults is documented in scientific studies. Additionally. group responsibility is important for individuals who have no family group on which to rely. Dependent children who are wards of society. and elderly Americans who have survived longer than other family members are among those who must rely on other groups for support in obtaining eye examinations on a timely and appropriate basis and for aid in cooperating with treatment recommendations.. To enhance quality and decrease cost. optimal eye care requires increased responsibility on the part of individuals. families. and other groups.
Conclusion Public information regarding eye care is required to decrease the occurrence of preventable injury and disease. to promote knowledgeable decisions by Americans regarding utilization of eye care services. and to bring about enhanced individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care. Public information must stem from professional judgment of ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals. accurate information regarding public awareness of eye care, well designed public eye care information programs. and activities to strengthen individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care.
Principle
6
Public awareness and dissemination oj eye care information are needed to reduce the prevalence ojpreventable. undiagnosed, and untreated eye injury and disease.
88
Public information is required to decrease the occurrence of preventable injury and disease, to promote knowledgeable decisions regarding utilization of eye care services, and to bring about enhanced individual, family, and group responsibility for eye care.
Eye Carefor the American People
Recommendations 1. Ophthalmologic organizations, other organizations, and government agencies should conduct studies to determine the extent of public knowledge regarding eye care and to identify the subjects on which to focus public information activities. 2. Ophthalmologic organizations, other eye and health care organizations, schools, employers. and government agencies should disseminate public information to prevent eye injury and disease, to promote early diagnosis and treatment of eye disease, to gutde decisions by Americans regarding utilization of eye care services, and to encourage individual, family, and group responsibility for eye care. 3. Public information activities related to eye care should utilize news media and be coordinated with eye and health care organizations. eye and health care professionals. schools, employers, health insurance companies, government, and community services.
References
1. Survey '84: A study of attitudes toward blindness and blindness prevention. Sightsaving 1984-85: 53(3):14
2, Reinecke RD, Steinberg T. Manpower studies for the United States, Part II: Demand for eye care, a public opinion poll based on a Gallup poll survey, Ophthalmology 1981: 88:34A-47A. 3, American Academy of Ophthalmology. Glaucoma Media Project San Francisco: American Academy of Ophthalmology, 1981.
Chapter 11
Public Information About Eye Care • Principle 6. Public awareness and dissemination oj eye care
injormation are needed to reduce the prevalence oj preventable, undiagnosed, and untreated eye i,yury and disease.
Significance of the Principle Public awareness and wide dissemination of eye care information are important means of reducing the risk of eye and visual system injury and disease. promoting knowledgeable decisions regarding utilization of eye care services. and encouraging individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care. Prevention of eye injury and disease as well as early diagnosis and treatment resulting from timely eye care promote vision for Americans. Additionally. self-testing of vision. vision screening of children. and full compliance with recommended eye care are among the benefits related to strong individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care. In aggregate. potential benefits of public awareness and wide dissemination of appropriate. accurate eye care information are of such great magnitude that this principle is a core feature in a national eye care plan.
Major Issues and Related Principles Major issues related to public awareness include the subject of public information regarding overall health care and the appropriate roles of government. schools. employers. and other representatives of society in disseminating health care information. An additional major issue is the role of the news media in distributing timely. accurate. and responsible health care information. Equally important as issues related to public information about eye care are national policies pertaining to quality of eye care. access to eye care. and affordability of eye care. Manifestly. public information and increasing public awareness of the need for eye care must be coupled with a national health care system that provides quality eye care that is accessible and affordable. The principle of public awareness and dissemination of eye care information relates most closely to: • Principle 1. Eye care is an integral component oj health care. • Principle 2. Quality eye care is needed to attain. preserve. and restore best possible visionjor every American. • Principle 3. Access to quality eye care includes direct and referral access to ophthalmologistsjor all Americans. • Principle 4. Quality eye care must be affordable to all Americans.
85
Public Information About Eye Care
Evaluation Public awareness and dissemination of information regarding eye care are needed to reduce the risk of eye injury and disease. to promote knowledgeable decisions by Americans regarding eye care by ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals. and to encourage individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care. Evaluation of this principle warrants consideration of public awareness of eye care. public information regarding utilization of eye care services. and individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care.
Public Awareness of Eye Care Americans fear blindness more than any other health problem except cancer. However. public understanding of the prevention. diagnosis. and treatment of eye disease. and the relative qualifications and scope of services of ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals are quite deflctentt. In 1979. a Gallup poll of 3.000 adults in the United States showed that only 5% of those queried knew the difference between an ophthalmologist and an optometrtsts, In 1982. surveys conducted before and after intensive media campaigns in three cities focused on the ophthalmologist's role in diagnosing and treating glaucoma Before the intensive media campaign. queries to 1.200 persons revealed that 66% identified ophthalmologists as able to examine eyes. 74% identified ophthalmologists as able to diagnose eye disease. 69% identified ophthalmologists as able to treat eye disease. and 72% identified ophthalmologists as being able to prescribe medications. After the intense media campaign. the consumers' knowledge of the ophthalmologist's role in these areas increased by 4-10%. Data regarding the public's awareness of the symptoms and signs of eye disease are limited. It is generally believed. however. that public recognition of the signs and symptoms of eye disease such as amblyopia. diabetic retinopathy. and macular degeneration is poor. Even if the public's awareness of eye disease and of major signs and symptoms were good. the lack of understanding regarding the competence and scope of services provided by ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals would greatly impede knowledgeable decisions regarding timely eye care by ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals. There is little likelihood that the public's recognition of individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care is more than rudimentary. Deficiencies in self-testing of vision. vision screening of children. and compliance with long-term treatment regimens indicate that responsibility for eye care is not widely identified by individuals. families. and groups. Recognizing these limitations in public awareness regarding eye care and the lack of reliable information in this field. studies by ophthalmologic organizations. other eye and health care organizations. and government agencies are recommended to determine the extent of public knowledge regarding care of the eyes and visual system and identification of issues on which it is most important to focus public information activities. Thereafter. effective programs to increase public awareness of eye care merit high priority.
Principle
6
Public awareness and dtsseminatic,>n of eye care iriformation are needed to reduce the prevalence ofpreventable. undiagnosed, and untreated eye injury and disease.
86
The public's lack of understanding regarding the services provided by eye care professionals greatly impedes knowledgeable decisions regarding timely eye care by ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals.
Eye Care for the American People
Public Information Regarding Utilization of Eye Care Services Substantial eye care and health care information is being transmitted to the American public through the news media. schools. employers. government. and other means. These activities are fragmented however. and not designed to promote systematic awareness concerning major aspects of eye care and the appropriate utilization of eye care services. Recognizing the lack of systematic. prioritized information disseminated to the general public. ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals should establish the most important information to communicate to the public and convey this by use of all available news media and other avenues for communication with the American public. Professional judgment and studies of public awareness should determine relative importance of and need for public information regarding: • Prevention of eye injuries in the home. in recreation settings. in the workplace. and elsewhere. • Importance of eye and visual system examinations in infants and children. in adults and the elderly. and in specific circumstances at other times. • Signs or symptoms suggesting the need for medical eye care by an ophthalmologist. • Eye disease risk associated with glaucoma or other family history of eye disease. • Eye disease risk associated with systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus. • Medications that require eye and visual system monitoring such as topical and systemic corticosteroids. • Detection of Vision-threatening eye disease by individual selfassessment of visual acuity. visual field. and binocular vision. • Family and group responsibility for eye and visual system care of infants. children. elderly adults. and others who may be unable to practice effective self-testing and self-care. • Need for compliance with eye disease treatment regimens such as the regular use of medications for glaucoma. • Availability of low-vision aids and rehabilitative services for Americans who have impaired vision or are blind. With priorities of public information established on the basis of systematic studies. effective public information activities may be planned and carried out. News media in the United States playa significant role in providing public information on health issues. Research has demonstrated that media campaigns are effective in improving the public's awareness of eye disease. the need for early diagnosis of eye disease. and the scope of services provided by ophthalmologists and other eye care professtonalss, Public information may also be disseminated by government. schools. employers. health insurance companies. eye care and health care professionals. and health-related organizations. Written materials. audio presentations. and video programs are among the forms of communication that may be used for public education. The American Academy of Ophthalmology has included print
87
Public Information About Eye Care
news releases and electronic information dissemination on a variety of topics affecting the eye and visual system in public information projects and programs. Additionally. public service projects such as the American Academy of Ophthalmology National Eye Care Project (Chapter 9. Affordable Eye Care) and the Worker's Eye Health Project are useful in providing eye care information. The National Society to Prevent Blindness (NSPB). Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB). RP Foundation Fighting Blindness. Lions International. and other eye and health-related organizations have also conducted effective programs to prevent eye injury. establish eye safety standards in the workplace, and generally increase public awareness of eye care. Ophthalmologists and other eye or health care professionals may greatly enhance the effectiveness of public information programs by coordinating with health-related voluntary organizations. by working with groups composed of individuals who have similar age and/or interests. and by participating in community programs. radio presentations. and video programs. Furthermore. on a regular ongoing basis eye care professionals may present public information to patients and families receiving eye care.
Individual. Family. and Group Responsibility for Eye Care
A desired outcome of public information is increased individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care. The individual is responsible for noting symptoms or signs of vision-threatening eye disease. for self-testing of visual acuity. visual field. and binocular vision at appropriate intervals. for obtaining eye examinations and vision screening procedures at appropriate intervals. and for complying with eye disease treatment recommendations. Family responsibility for eye care is increasingly important as the significance of early diagnosis and treatment of eye disease in infants and children as well as the elderly and other dependent adults is documented in scientific studies. Additionally. group responsibility is important for individuals who have no family group on which to rely. Dependent children who are wards of society. and elderly Americans who have survived longer than other family members are among those who must rely on other groups for support in obtaining eye examinations on a timely and appropriate basis and for aid in cooperating with treatment recommendations.. To enhance quality and decrease cost. optimal eye care requires increased responsibility on the part of individuals. families. and other groups.
Conclusion Public information regarding eye care is required to decrease the occurrence of preventable injury and disease. to promote knowledgeable decisions by Americans regarding utilization of eye care services. and to bring about enhanced individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care. Public information must stem from professional judgment of ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals. accurate information regarding public awareness of eye care, well designed public eye care information programs. and activities to strengthen individual. family. and group responsibility for eye care.
Principle
6
Public awareness and dissemination oj eye care information are needed to reduce the prevalence ojpreventable. undiagnosed, and untreated eye injury and disease.
88
Public information is required to decrease the occurrence of preventable injury and disease, to promote knowledgeable decisions regarding utilization of eye care services, and to bring about enhanced individual, family, and group responsibility for eye care.
Eye Carefor the American People
Recommendations 1. Ophthalmologic organizations, other organizations, and government agencies should conduct studies to determine the extent of public knowledge regarding eye care and to identify the subjects on which to focus public information activities. 2. Ophthalmologic organizations, other eye and health care organizations, schools, employers. and government agencies should disseminate public information to prevent eye injury and disease, to promote early diagnosis and treatment of eye disease, to gutde decisions by Americans regarding utilization of eye care services, and to encourage individual, family, and group responsibility for eye care. 3. Public information activities related to eye care should utilize news media and be coordinated with eye and health care organizations. eye and health care professionals. schools, employers, health insurance companies, government, and community services.
References
1. Survey '84: A study of attitudes toward blindness and blindness prevention. Sightsaving 1984-85: 53(3):14
2, Reinecke RD, Steinberg T. Manpower studies for the United States, Part II: Demand for eye care, a public opinion poll based on a Gallup poll survey, Ophthalmology 1981: 88:34A-47A. 3, American Academy of Ophthalmology. Glaucoma Media Project San Francisco: American Academy of Ophthalmology, 1981.