Perceptions and attitudes of healthcare workers towards optometry services in Zebediela, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Background: Since the introduction of optometry services in 1994 in Limpopo hospitals there is a need to improve the eye care services. Hospital records revealed that most of the spectacles worn by health professionals were not issued by the hospital optometry department. Those who were issued with spectacles when they were newly employed had not renewed from the hospital’s optometry department after the recommended two years. The aim of this study was to determine perceptions and attitudes of public healthcare workers towards optometry services in Zebediela. Limpopo Province, South Africa Methods: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. Participants were public healthcare professionals in Zebediela hospital and clinics in Zebediela sub-local municipality. Following the ethical approval and informed consent, a self-administered questionnaire with closed-ended questions was used to collect information on the perceptions, attitudes and socio-demographic factors. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS statistic 23 software. Results: The majority of participants had negative perceptions (78.7%) and 76.4% had positive attitudes towards the optometry department. There was significant association between perception according to profession of participants (P=0.025). There was significant association between attitude according to profession (P=0.001), as well as years in institutional employment (P=0.035). There was no significant association between either perceptions or attitudes and age group, gender as well as employment experience Conclusion: The health professionals held negative perceptions but favourable attitudes towards the optometry staff and the optometry service but needed more information for themselves and the general patient. The health professionals were not impressed by the type of spectacles issued and optometry service delivery aspects. Awareness campaigns by optometrists, need to be increased to the public and also inter professional relationships need to be strengthened to reduce negative perceptions through peer cross professional education in the health system.