Awareness and Practice Patterns Among Pediatricians Regarding Retinopathy of Prematurity at Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal

Abstract

Introduction
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a disorder of the developing retina of preterm infants due
to defective vasculogenesis that can lead to incurable blindness. It can be prevented by timely
detection and treatment. The study aimed to analyze the level of awareness, knowledge and
practice of Pediatricians regarding ROP in Bharatpur.

Methods
This was a quantitative, cross-sectional study using self-administered questionnaires to assess the
awareness level among pediatricians at the main hospitals of Bharatpur City. A scoring system was
implemented in the data analysis, depending on the correct chosen answers on the questionnaire.
The ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Committee of NNJS (Reg. no. 15/
2022).

Results
Forty-three pediatricians from 11 hospitals in Bharatpur Metropolitan City filled out the
questionnaires. The mean age of the participants was 35.53 ± 9.09 years (25 to 68 years), majority
being male (N=28; 65.12%). More than half of the participants, 23 (53.49%) had a knowledge score
of 10-15. The knowledge score was 0-5 and >20 in 6 (13.95%) and 2(4.65%) participants respectively.
Men were significantly more knowledgeable about ROP than women (p = 0.02).

Conclusions
This study has projected the level of understanding about ROP among pediatricians in Bharatpur.
Workshops and courses on ROP screening criteria and referral are recommended specifically
for pediatric residents and pediatricians in the early stages of their careers. There should be
coordination and good referral network between Pediatricians and Ophthalmologists.