Abstract

Objective: Describe patients’ knowledge, attitudes and practices on conjunctivitis among outpatients at Hung Vuong General Hospital in 2024 and related factors.

Participants and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 203 patients at Hung Vuong General Hospital from June to August 2024. The instrument was a structured interview questionnaire consisting of four parts: Part I: Demographic characteristics. Part II: Knowledge about conjunctivitis. Part III: Attitudes about conjunctivitis. Part IV: Conjunctivitis practice. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 software. Descriptive statistics, including frequency and percentage, were used, and the relationship between variables was tested using the Chi-Square test, with a p-value of < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results: The study found high levels of knowledge about conjunctivitis, with 83.3% of participants aware of its causes and 88.7% understanding its definition. However, knowledge about disease prevention was low, with only 17.7% of participants demonstrating adequate understanding. A majority of participants (74.4%) had positive attitudes toward the disease, viewing it as manageable, while 94.1% were aware of the importance of preventing complications. Over 80% demonstrated proper practices regarding medication use and eye hygiene. Significant associations were found between KAP and factors such as gender, place of residence, age, and occupation.

Conclusion: The study found satisfactory levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding conjunctivitis among patients. However, there is a need for comprehensive health education programs to address the limited understanding of preventive measures and to reduce the risk of disease and vision loss. Targeted educational interventions and public health communication strategies are essential to improve patient awareness and treatment outcomes across all healthcare levels. Health education programs should focus on rural populations, male participants, and younger individuals to improve KAP and reduce the burden of conjunctivitis.