Abstract:

Eye-health seeking behavioural intentions of commercial drivers is of immense concern considering that driving requires accurate vision because poor vision could result in fatal road accidents. This study was guided by the Information-Motivation-Behavioural-skills-model as a theoretical underpinning to evaluate the impact of eye-health motivational-counselling intervention programme on eye-health seeking behavioural intentions and driving outcomes among commercial drivers in Ikeja local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria.

Method: This study was a quasi-experimental design involving three major motor parks in Lagos State. Two interventions and a control group with 35 commercial drivers who consented to participate in the study were selected for each group. The designed intervention was based on a previous educational diagnosis of observed deficiencies of Eye-Health Seeking Behavioural-Intentions of commercial vehicle drivers and implemented for twelve-weeks with a control. Validated structured questionnaire, was employed for data collection. Mean scores of major variables were compared for baseline and follow-up of primary and secondary outcome measures using independent-samples t-Test and ANOVA at 5% level of significance.

Results: Age-range of drivers was 18-60 years. There was no significant difference for major-variables in the study for all groups at baseline (p>0.05). At follow up, there was significant difference between intervention group two and group one for information (17.18±3.00 and 9.70±5.38; p<0.001), Motivation (33.81±6.55 and 31.33±3.79; p<0.001), Behavioural Skills (10.82±3.22 and 5.61±3.02; p<0.001), and Eye-Health Seeking Intentions and Driving Outcomes (22.94±6.88 and 19.52±6.06; p>0.05).

Conclusion: The eye-health educational interventions with motivational-counselling showed more prospects of influencing positive behavioural change on eye-health seeking behaviour among commercial drivers. It is recommended that motivational-counselling be incorporated into driver’s education and strategies for effective management of eye-health and safe-driving in Nigeria.

Keywords: Eye-Health-seeking, Health-Education, Motivational-Counselling, Information-Motivation-Behavioural -skills, Commercial-Drivers.

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