LAUSR

Background: Awareness and perception are critical determinants in the uptake of a health intervention. This study assessed the level of awareness and perception in relation to the uptake of interventions of computer vision syndrome (CVS) among university students. Material and methods: From a target population of 21,000 students, 384 students were included in the study. Participants were recruited from Maseno, Kenya. Structured in-depth questionnaires were administered to the participants. Composite awareness scale and summative perception score were used to quantify the level of awareness and perception. Results: Out of the 384 participants, 48.7% were males, and 51.3% females. The study denoted a modal age of 18–24 years with a mean age of 19.5 years (SD = 0.747). The prevalence of CVS was 60.4% (n = 232), and almost half of the participants (47.8%) had a low level of awareness. There was a statistically significant difference (p = 0.001) in the level of awareness among participants. Based on perception, nearly three quarter of the participants (60%) perceived CVS as a global issue of public health concern in relation to the introduction of portable electronic devices used on a daily basis. Based on CVS precautions, almost half of the participants (40%) did not practice the preventive measures. Conclusion: Computer vision syndrome was present in about two out of every five students, while awareness remained significantly low, as well as uptake of preventive measures. We emphasize the need for interventions to increase CVS awareness. Developing an item bank for measuring CVS is desirable.