Информированность родителей о кератоконусе: социально-экономический аспект

Keratoconus is characterized by ectatic protrusion of the cornea and is associated with chronic and rigorous eye rubbing.¹ Treatment of eye rubbing triggers, such as allergic conjunctivitis, and patient education are tantamount to halting the development of keratoconus.² In the United States, socioeconomically marginalized patients bear a high burden of disease^3,4 and are more likely to suffer vision loss from chronic eye conditions.⁵ Keratoconus patients from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to have severe disease and to require corneal transplantation compared to their more economically privileged counterparts.⁶ Socioeconomic status encompasses income level, educational attainment, English proficiency, and race/ethnicity. The influence of socioeconomic status on disease outcomes is at least partly mediated by health literacy.⁷ Health literacy describes the ability to understand and act on health-related information. Children of parents with lower educational attainment and poorer health literacy are at higher risk for non-adherence to patching for amblyopia and topical glaucoma therapy.⁸ Few studies have explored the influence of socioeconomic factors and health literacy on keratoconus severity and management. The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to assess, in a pediatric population, the impact of parental socioeconomic status and keratoconus literacy on pediatric eye rubbing behaviors and keratoconus severity.