The effect of a short animated educational video on knowledge among glaucoma patients

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational video in increasing knowledge among glaucoma patients and to determine the factors that may influence a patient’s level of knowledge. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a pre–post intervention study on adult glaucoma patients attending the outpatient service at King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital. The intervention tested was a short educational video that was edited specifically for this study. All patients completed a pre-video and post-video knowledge questionnaire; moreover, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were obtained. RESULTS: The total number of patients included was 196. The mean age of patients was 55.7±15.5 years. Overall, 55.1% were males, 29.6% were illiterate, 85.2% resided in an urban area, 62.8% had a low income, and 41.8% were unemployed. The mean pre-intervention knowledge score was 6 out of 17, and the post-intervention score was 11.1 (P≤0.001). Predictors of a poor knowledge score were old age (>60 years), female sex, illiteracy, rural residence, low income, unemployment, and a negative family history of glaucoma. CONCLUSION: The evaluated video intervention was effective in a short-term increase in knowledge among glaucoma patients. This tool may serve as an alternative to traditional educational methods.