Awareness, Attitudes, and Willingness towards Eye Donation in Ibarapa East, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: Corneal blindness is a major public health challenge in Nigeria, but local eye donation rates are very low. This study assessed community awareness, knowledge, and attitudes towards eye donation in Ibarapa East to inform eye health planning. Methods: This cross-sectional household survey recruited 550 adults residing in Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria, using a two-stage cluster sampling method. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The outcome measures were awareness and knowledge of eye donation, eye banking, and corneal transplantation; willingness to donate eyes postmortem and to accept corneal transplantation; attitudes toward eye donation and transplantation; and their socio‑demographic and ocular predictors. Results: Respondents were 57.6% male and had a mean age of 29.3 ± 11.3 years. Awareness of eye donation, eye banking, and corneal transplantation was 8.7%, 10.4%, and 10.2%, respectively. Only 21.1% were willing to donate eyes postmortem, and 39% would accept a corneal transplant if needed. Overall, 37.6% demonstrated a supportive attitude towards eye donation. Poor knowledge of eye donation (AOR=3.52, 95% CI: 1.44–8.59), being a student (AOR=2.57, 95% CI: 1.40–4.70), and primary education or lower (AOR=2.13, 95% CI: 1.22–3.71) were predictive of non-supportive attitude, while awareness of corneal transplantation and history of ocular trauma were protective. Conclusion: Awareness and willingness to donate eyes are low in Ibarapa East. Targeted education, particularly for students and less educated groups, together with improved visibility of eye banking, is needed to increase donation rates.