Prevalence and Awareness of Congenital Color Vision Deficiency among Medicine and Health Science Students at Wolkite University: Implications for Clinical Training.

Abstract

Abstract Background Color vision deficiency affects the ability to distinguish colors, which has implications for health professionals. However, many are unaware of its existence and potential impact. This study aims to determine the prevalence and level of awareness of congenital color vision deficiency among health science students at Wolkite University, Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical and health sciences students at Wolkite University from July 10 to 29, 2022. Socio-demographic data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Visual acuity was measured, and color vision testing was performed using the Ishihara pseudo-isochromatic 38-plate edition. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. Result The study involved 425 participants, of whom 64.0% were male, with a mean age of 21.6 years (±1.5). The prevalence of color vision deficiency (CCDD) was 1.9%.  A statistically significant association was found between sex and CVD status (p= 0.032). Among the affected students, 87.5% had deutan deficiency and 12.5% had protan deficiency. None of the affected participants were aware of their color vision problem. Conclusion Health science students should be screened for color vision deficiency to improve their awareness and enable them to make informed decisions about their future carriers, preventing patient mismanagement. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2026; 40(1)] Keywords: Prevalence, Colour vision deficiency, Awareness, Health science students, Ethiopia