Knowledge, Attitude and Practice about Financial Literacy among Indian Ophthalmology Postgraduate Students

Purpose: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of financial literacy among Indian ophthalmology postgraduate students. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: A semi-structured online questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 Indian ophthalmology postgraduate students. A semi-structured questionnaire was prepared by experts based on the available literature, which consisted of 10 knowledge, 7 attitude and 5 practice questions. The responses to the questionnaire were recorded and data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results: Out of 400 participants, very few participants had good knowledge ( n = 80, 20%). The mean knowledge score was 3.9 ± 2.5, median score was 3.5 (Interquartile range (IQR) = 2-6). Majority ( n = 320, 80%) of participants had poor knowledge. The mean attitude score was 19.2 ± 1.6, median score was 21 (IQR 20-21). Majority of the participants ( n = 380, 95%) had a positive attitude. The mean practice score was 1.8 ± 1.03. Majority of participants ( n = 280, 70%) had poor practice. Individuals who agree with the notion of starting to invest at a young age are significantly more likely to have already begun investing their money (χ² = 35.51, P = 0.037). Conclusion: In our study, the majority of the participants had a positive attitude but poor knowledge and practice about financial literacy. Hence, having dedicated financial courses or incorporating such sessions in CMEs/conferences can prove to be very helpful for the upcoming ophthalmologists as it can improve their knowledge and practices, which in turn can lead to better-equipped clinical setups, considering the high-cost investments in setting up ophthalmic hospital in turn leading to better patient care.