| Abstract [eng] |
Summary Author – Silvita Jokubauskaitė The final work of the master of nursing speciality – „The association between long-term smoking and ocular diseases“ Adviser - Rasa Sirtautienė M.D, PhD Vilnius university, faculty of Medicine Institute of Medical Rehabilitation, Sport medicine and Nursing 2007-06-07 Size of the work – 60 p. Cigarette or tobacco smoking is well-recognised major risk factor for many common and severe eye diseases. Long-term smoking may cause functional eye changes and lead to the blindness. Many seriuos adverse effects can be decreased only with cessation of smoking. Public knowledge concerning common eye diseases are quite low. There is a lack of awareness in general of the link between smoking and eye diseases as well. Educational programmes to enhance public awareness may be needed to improve the effectiveness of health promotion and thus prevent unnecessary blindness. Aim of the work: to assess a link between patients long-term smoking and chronicle eye diseases and to estimate patients knowledge about preventive measures for chronicle eye diseases. Methods: 173 hospitalized patients: 94 men and 79 women with different ocular diseases were interviewed using a structured questionnaire, which included demographic details, life style details, peculiarities and status of smoking and awareness of most common risk factors for their eye diseases. Patients were divided in two groups: people who had chronicle diseases and people who had other eye diseases. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS V10. Results: 39,9% of patients had cataract, 23,1%-glaucoma, 37,0% - had other eye diseases. 47,4% had never checked their eyes before eye disease was diagnosed. For 73,0% of patients, who have chronicle eye disease, quality of every-days life decreased. 68,2% of respondents are not aware of their own eye disease and its risk factors. 47,4% - smoke. Patients in the age group 50-64 are smoking mostly. 52,2% of patients smokes 30 years and longer. 82,9% said they would stop smoking on developing early signs of blindness. 52,0% of subjects were more fearful of blindness than of other smoking related disease. Conclusions: chronicle eye diseases are more common than other eye diseases in patients who smoke. Smoking significantly enhance the link between other risk factors and chronicle eye diseases. Majority of patients doesn’t know that long-term smoking can cause blindness. Half of patients are more fearful of blindness than of other smoking related diseases. |
