FCT SCHOOL OF NURSING, GWAGWALADA, ABUJA

 
 
BY
 
POWOOLA GLORY OMOLABAKE
 
 
A RESEARCH PROPOSAL ON ASSESSMENT OF THE LEVEL OF
KNOWLEDGE AND PREVENTION OF GLAUCOMA AMONG FCT SCHOOL
OF MIDWIFERY STUDENTS, GWAGWALADA, ABUJA
 
 
 
SUPERVISED BY
MR. CISHAK PAUL

 
 
 
NOVEMBER 2022
 
 
 TABLE OF CONTENT
CONTENT
Cover Page
Title Page
Declaration Page
Certification
Abstract
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Table of Content
 
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0. Introduction
1.1 Background of the study
1.2. Statement of the problem
1.3. Objective of the study
1.4. Research questions
1.5. Significant of the study
1.6. Scope of the study
1.7. Operational definition of terms
 
 CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0. Literature Review

2.1. Conceptual Review
2.1.1. What is Glaucoma
2.1.2. Causes of Glaucoma
2.1.3. Types of Glaucoma
2.1.4. Signs and Symptoms of Glaucoma
2.1.5. Risk factors of Glaucoma
2.1.6. Glaucoma Diagnosis
2.1.7. Medications
2.2. Theoretical Framework
2.3. Empirical Framework 
 
 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.0. Research Methodology

3.1. Research Design
3.2. Research Setting
3.3. Target Population
3.4. Sample of the study and sampling technique
3.5. Instrument for data collection
3.6. Validity
3.7. Reliability of instrument
3.8. Method of data collection
3.9. Method of data analysis
3.10. Ethical consideration
 
 CHAPTER FOUR

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

4.1. Data Analysis

4.2. Answers to the research questions
 
CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSION
5.1. Discussion of findings
5.2. Implications of the results to Nursing
5.3. Limitation of the study
5.4. Summary
5.5. Conclusion
5.6. Recommendation
5.7. Suggestion for further studies

References
Appendix
 
 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
 
1.0. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
• Glaucoma is a group of diseases characterized by progressive optic
neuropathy, which may be asymptomatic in the majority or may
result in symptoms such as diminished vision and loss in visual field
(Nischal and Pearson (2017).

• Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases which result in damage to the 

optic nerve (or retina) and cause vision loss (Davis et. all 2017). The
most common type is open-angle (wide angle, chronic simple)
glaucoma, in which the drainage angle for fluid within the eye 
remains open, with less common types including closed-angle
(narrow angle, acute congestive) glaucoma and 
normal-tension glaucoma. “Facts about Glaucoma (2016)”.
 
 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY (CONT’D)
• Risk factors for glaucoma include increasing age,
high pressure in the eye, a family history of glaucoma,
and use of steroid medication. For eye pressures, a value
of 21 mmHg or 2.8 kPa above atmospheric pressure (760
mmHg) is often used, with higher pressures leading to a
greater risk (Mantravadi and Vadhar (2017). 

• In 2010, nearly 60.5 million people had glaucoma

globally, of which 11 million were Indians (Parihar
(2017). It has been projected that this number will rise to
76 million by 2020 and 111 million by 2040, with India
becoming the second largest home of glaucoma by 2020
(Parihar (2017).
1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

• According to Kierstan (2021), Glaucoma is the major cause of

blindness in the world. Glaucoma is known to be a silent thief of
sight. Glaucoma has no symptoms in its early stages. In fact, half the
people with glaucoma do not know they have it!
 
• In FCT School of Midwifery, Gwagwalada, Abuja, I observed and
noticed that there is absence or minimal knowledge, awareness and
preventive measures on Glaucoma due to the fact that they are not
given the opportunity to go for Ophthalmic Posting.
 
• This prompted me to conduct this study in order to educate them on
Glaucoma and preventive measure to take in order to prevent
blindness. However, Knowledge is the key factor in the prevention of
Glaucoma.
1.3. OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

• To assess the level of knowledge of students in FCT School

of Midwifery, Gwagwalada, Abuja on Glaucoma

• To assess the level of awareness of students in FCT School

of Midwifery, Gwagwalada, Abuja about Glaucoma

• To assess the knowledge of student midwives on the

prevention and clinical manifestation of Glaucoma
1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

• What is the level of knowledge of students in FCT

School of Midwifery, Gwagwalada, Abuja on
Glaucoma?

• What is the level of awareness of students in FCT

School of Midwifery, Gwagwalada, Abuja on
Glaucoma?

• What are the preventive measures of Glaucoma?

1.5. SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY

• The research findings from this study will enable the

school authority to further send midwives on
Ophthalmic posting for more enlightenment on
Glaucoma, Ophthalmia Neonaturum and other ocular
diseases that affect children.

• Professionally, the study will be of great benefit to the

tutors, school management and health workers, as it
will provide accurate data to ascertain the level of
knowledge and perception of students in FCT School of
Midwifery, Gwagwalada, Abuja concerning Glaucoma
through the identified source of information.
1.6. SCOPE OF STUDY
• The aim of this study is based on the assessment
of the level of knowledge and prevention of
Glaucoma among students in FCT School of
Midwifery, Gwagwalada, Abuja. FCT School of
Midwifery is located at Gwagwalada Area
Council, Abuja. It is made up of about 349
Midwifery Student populations comprising of Set
2020, Set 2021A, Set 2021B.
1.7. OPERATIONAL DEFINTION OF TERMS

• ASSESSMENT: determining the level of

knowledge and prevention of students in FCT
School of Midwifery, Gwagwalada, Abuja on
Glaucoma information.

• PREVENTION: this refers to actions so as to avoid

or curtail a happening or phenomenon. This refers to
students in FCT School of Midwifery, Gwagwalada,
Abuja to know measures to be taken in the
prevention on the occurrence of Glaucoma
 
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS (CONT’D)

• KNOWLEDGE: the in-depth understanding of Glaucoma

by students in FCT School of Midwifery, Gwagwalada,
Abuja.

• GLAUCOMA: Glaucoma is a condition that damages the

eye’s optic nerve.

• STUDENT MIDWIVES: a person who is formally enrolled

at midwifery school to study midwifery.
 CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0. INTRODUCTION
The related literature review to the study was done under the following
subheading Conceptual Review, Theoretical Framework and Empirical
Framework.

2.1 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

2.1.2. WHAT IS GLAUCOMA
According to Kierstan (2021), Glaucoma is a disease that damages your
eye’s optic nerves. It usually happens when fluid builds up in the front part
of your eye. That extra fluid increases the pressure in your eye, damaging
the optic nerve.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK (CONT’D)

2.1.2. Causes of Glaucoma

2.1.3. Types of Glaucoma
2.1.4. Signs and Symptoms of Glaucoma
2.1.5. Risk factors of Glaucoma
2.1.6. Glaucoma Diagnosis
2.1.7. Medications
2.2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.2.1 HEALTH PROMOTION MODEL

• This study was anchored on a major theory which is considered suitable

for this study because it helps to shed more lights into the theme of the
study. The theory is Pender’s Health Promotion Model.

• The Pender’s Health Promotion Model Theory was developed by Nola

J. Pender a Nursing Theorist, an author and a professor emeritus of
Nursing at the University of Michigan. The theory was first published in
1982 was later revised in 1996 and 2002.

• This Model emphasizes on the active role that a person has in initiating
and maintaining health promoting behaviour and in shaping their own
environment to support health promoting behaviours. The major five (5)
key concepts in Pender’s Health Promotion Model are: The Person,
Environment, Nursing, Health and Illness.
2.2.3. APPLICATION OF MODELS TO THE STUDY

From the Health Promotion Model of Nola J. Pender, it is very clear

that despite the facts that each person has a unique personal
characteristics and experience that can largely affects their behaviour
both to health and otherwise. The awareness and knowledge of a
disease condition especially if fully enlightened has great influence
on individual action that promotes health. For example; a midwife
that has knowledge on Glaucoma, the signs and its high mortality rate
as a result of metastasis will be able to refer affected persons to eye
centre at early stage in order to prevent morbidity and mortality rate.
Thus Health Promotion is achieved. Therefore it can be said that
awareness and knowledge has to a great extent influence on health
promoting behaviours.
2.3. EMPIRICAL FRAMEWORK

• According to the research done among students of

University of Calabar, Nigeria (Ogba (2020), the
level of awareness of Glaucoma was fair but the
level of knowledge of the disease was poor.
Knowledge about Glaucoma can lead to early
detection, which is a very important step in
preventing glaucoma-related blindness.
EMPIRICAL FRAMEWORK (CONT’D)

• According to findings of the study done among patients in Abuja,

Nigeria (Onunkwor and Monereng (2012), patients’ awareness of
Glaucoma was high but their knowledge levels were low.
Demographic variables such as level of education, age and gender,
did not influence levels of Glaucoma knowledge. Patients who
had previously eye examinations demonstrated better knowledge
about Glaucoma than those who had not. Knowledge about
Glaucoma amongst patients who attended the CBN staff eye clinic
seemed to be inadequate as only 14.5% (n=21) scored 50.0% or
more for the multiple choice questions. Knowledge gaps, such as
ignorance about diagnostic tests to identify Glaucoma, were
identified and require further health education. The CBN staff
members lacked Glaucoma knowledge which could enable them
to seek timely diagnosis and treatment services, and thereby avoid
preventable blindness.
 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.0. INTRODUCTION
This chapter describes the research design, the area of study, the
population of study, the types of sampling technique, the
instrument for data collection and the validity and reliability of
the instrument used and ethical consideration.
 
3.1. RESEARCH DESIGN
Descriptive non-experimental research design will be used for
this study to determine the level of knowledge of Glaucoma
among students of FCT School of Midwifery, Abuja
3.2. SETTING

• The study will be carried out in FCT School of Midwifery,

Gwagwalada, Abuja. School of Midwifery was established in
March 1991 with similar vision as nursing and has a total
population of 349 Basic Midwifery students.
 
• The students of the school are from different parts of the
country (Nigeria) and run three (3) years for Basic Training of
Midwifery Programme.
 
• The school is located inside University of Abuja Teaching
Hospital (UATH), which is located along Passo Road, 3km
from University of Abuja annex and 5km away from Kaduna-
Lokoja road. The school is bounded in the north by phase 3, in
the south by Old kutunku, in the east by Passo and the west by
School for the gifted.
 
3.3. TARGET POPULATION

• The target population for this study are students

of FCT School of Midwifery, Gwagwalada,
Abuja with a total population of 349. Set 2020
are 113 in number, Set 2021A are 127 in
number and Set 2021B are 109 in number.
3.4. SAMPLE (SIZE& FORMULA)

Stratified random sampling will be used as a

method that involves the division of a population
that shares the same attributes or characteristics
into smaller groups known as strata or layers. Since
the students are in different set, they will be divided
into strata based on their sets. This implies that
every set is a stratum. Then a simple random
sampling will be used to get the sample size. The
researcher used Taro Yamane’s formula.
 
Where n = sample size desired
N = population of study
e = level of significance at (0.07)
1= constant

respondents
3.5. SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

Simple random sampling will be used to select the total of 186

students for the study.
 
3.6. INSTRUMENT FOR DATA COLLECTION

A self-structured questionnaire will be designed for this study

to obtain data from the subject. The questions will be
considered in closed ended form for easy analysis. The
questionnaire is divided into Section A and B. Section A
contains personal data while section B comprises the
assessment of knowledge of students on Glaucoma
 
3.7. VALIDITY OF INSTRUMENT
To ensure the validity of the instrument (questionnaire), the study
will be subjected to criticism by the research supervisor. The
research committee of the school also will scrutinized the study in
order to ensure validity. The contents will be examined and checked
if it is relevant to the variable under examination.

3.8. RELIABILITY OF INSTRUMENT

This is the ability of a tool to consistently measure that which it is
designed to measure. In order to establish the reliability of the
instrument, after affecting corrections and modification suggested by
the supervisor, a pilot study testing of the questionnaire will be
carried out to test the reliability of the instrument. 10% of the
questionnaire will be administered to students in FCT School of
Nursing, representing 10% of the desired sample size with a similar
background.
 
3.8. METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION
Letter of introduction and permission to conduct the study will
be obtained from the school authority. The researcher will
obtain due permission from the school authority before
distributing questionnaires. The questionnaire will be self-
administered by the researcher to the respondents who were
randomly selected for the study based on the sampling size (n
= 186). They will be filled by the respondent in guidance of the
researcher.

3.9. METHODS OF DATA ANALYSIS

The primary data generated will be collated, tallied and
analysed using SPSS version 26 into descriptive statistics such
as frequency distribution and percentage count table.
 
3.9. ETHICAL CONSIDERATION
The researcher will consider ethical issues involved in the
research study in other to obtain valid result by ensuring that:
• The aims, objectives and guidelines are clearly spelt out to
the respondents to encourage maximum cooperation
• The respondent utmost confidentially will be ensured.
• Good rapport will be established to get respondents sincere
opinion and view.
• The respondent will not be forced to participate.
 RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE

The researcher is a final year student of FCT School of

Nursing, Gwagwalada, Abuja. The researcher is carrying out
a research project on “Assessment of the Level of
Knowledge of Glaucoma” among students of FCT School
of Midwifery, Gwagwalada, Abuja”. The researcher solicits
for your maximum co-operation to fill the questionnaire
based on your understanding.
 
All information provided will be confidentially treatment.
Please tick and write where necessary. Thank you.
 
SECTION A (PERSONAL DATA)
1. Age (years): 17-20 ( ) 21 – 24 ( ) 25 – 28 ( ) 29 and above( )
2. Religion: Christianity ( ), Islam ( ), Traditionalist( ), others
specify …………..
3. Ethnicity: Hausa ( ), Igbo ( ), Yoruba ( ) others specify
…………………
4. Sex: Male ( ), Female ( )
5. Have you ever heard about the eye condition, glaucoma? Yes (
) No ( )
6. When was your last eye examination? Within the last 6
months ( ) between 6 months and a year ago ( ) 3 to 5 years ago
( ) More than 5 years ago ( )
7. How is your eye sight? Excellent ( ) Fair ( ) Poor ( )
SECTION B: ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENTS
ON GLAUCOMA

Please choose only one correct answer and tick the appropriate box to
the right of the options provided, and select only one option for each
question.
8. What is Glaucoma? [a] It is an eye infection [b] A whitening
which grows across the eye obscuring vision [c] An increase in the
pressure in the eye which causes vision loss [d] Excessive tearing
from the eyes [e] I do not know
9. Can most patients with Glaucoma tell that they have an eye
problem? [a] Yes [b] No [c] I do not know
10. The most common symptom of Glaucoma is [a] itching of the eyes
[b] redness of the eye [c] no symptom [d] pain in the eyes [e] I do not
know
11. The following are important risk factors for Glaucoma: [a] Age,
[b] Sex [c] High pressure measured in the eyes [d] A and C above [e] I
do not know
12. The normal intra-ocular pressure is between: [a] 1 to 10
millimeters of mercury (mmHg) [b] 10 to 21 millimeters of mercury
(mmHg) [c] 21 to 50 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) [d] Another
measure[e] I do not know
13. Untreated glaucoma leads to [a] swelling of the eyes [b] loss of
vision [c] severe pains in the eye [d] None of the above [e] I do not
know
14. Treatment of Glaucoma is directed at: [a] Stopping headaches [b]
Increasing the eye pressure [c] Lowering the eye pressure [d] None of
the above [e] I do not know
15. Treatment options include all the following except one: [a] Eye
drops / medicines [b] No treatment [c] Laser treatment [d] Surgery [e] I
do not know
16. Treatment of Glaucoma is usually [a] for a duration of one week
[b] for a duration of one month [c] for a duration of one year [d] for
life [e] I do not know
17. Which of the following eye care professionals can best diagnose
and treat glaucoma? [a] Optician [b] Ophthalmologist [c] Optometrist
[d] I do not know
18. Is visual loss due to Glaucoma permanent or reversible? [a]
Permanent [b] Reversible [c] I don’t know
19. How often should one normally have an eye examination? [a] once a
week [b] once a month [c] once a year [d] once in 5 years [e] I do not
know
20. What is the most common cause of blindness worldwide? [a] Glaucoma
[b] Refractive errors [c] I do not know
21. Glaucoma is characterized by damage to the lens of the eye. [a] True
[b] False [c] I do not know
22. Glaucoma is usually associated with high eye pressures. [a] Yes [b] No
[c] I don’t know
23. Glaucoma can be associated with low eye pressures. [a] Yes [b] No [c]
I do not know
24. Glaucoma is not a common cause of blindness. [a] Yes [b] No [c] I
do not know
25. Most patients with Glaucoma have no symptoms. [a] Yes [b] No [c] I
do not know
 
 
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION
 REFERENCES

Nischal  K, Pearson  A. Glaucoma. In: Kanski JJ, Bowling B,

editors. Kanski’s Clinical Ophthalmology: A Systemic
Approach. 7th ed. Edinburgh: Elsevier/Saunders Publisher;
2017. p. 3510.
Parihar JKS. Glaucoma: The ‘Black hole’ of irreversible blindness.
Med J Armed Forces India 2017;72:3-4
Kierstan Boyd, Reviewed By J Kevin McKinney MD, Edited By David
Turbert, Sep. 22, 2021 https://
www.aao.org/eye- health/diseases/what-is-glaucoma
Nola Pender’s Nursing Theory: https://Nursing –theory.org. the effects of
Pender’s Health Promotion Model in improving health