Epidemiological Survey Regarding Cataract Awareness in Korea: KNHANES IV.

Rim, Tyler Hyung Taek; Park, Sun Yung; Kim, Tae Im

doi:2013.54.1.72

J Korean Ophthalmol Soc > Volume 54(1); 2013 > Article

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2013;54(1):72-77.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2013.54.1.72 Published online January 15, 2013.

Epidemiological Survey Regarding Cataract Awareness in Korea: KNHANES IV.

Tyler Hyung Taek Rim, Sun Yung Park, Tae Im Kim

Department of Ophthalmology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. tikim@yuhs.ac

한국인의 백내장에 대한 인지도 역학 조사: 제4기 국민건강영양조사자료

임형택⋅박선영⋅김태임

Department of Ophthalmology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

PURPOSE
To identify cataract awareness in the Korean population. METHODS: The present study included 3,662 subjects who were diagnosed with a cataract by ophthalmic examination out of 11,058 subjects in the fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV). Among the 3,662 participants, 944 were aware that they already had a cataract. The socio-demographic disparities in cataract awareness were identified using multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 65.6 years (standard deviation, 0.2). The awareness calculated based on total weighted population was 24.6% in people over 19 years of age (95% confidence interval, 22.5-26.6%). In multivariate logistic analysis, subjects with higher income, living in a rural area, having a spouse, and binge alcohol use were less likely to be aware of their cataract. In multivariate linear regression analysis after adjusting for confounding factors, there were statistically significant differences of mean in age and monthly house income. Deajeon (11%), and Gwangju (16%) were the lower ranked regions for cataract awareness in Korea. CONCLUSIONS: The cataract awareness in Korea was lower than in other developed countries. Public education and strategies to improve cataract awareness in susceptible people are necessary. More effort is needed to improve cataract awareness based on the Korean society's acceptance of ophthalmologists as in other countries.

Key Words: Cataract;Cataract awareness;KNHANES IV;Population-based study;Socio-demographic factors