Eye health knowledge and health-seeking behaviours in Ghana

Ofosu, Anthony; Osei, Ivy; Hagan, Maria; Biekro, Leticia; Awedoba, Albert K.

doi:10.4102/aveh.v77i1.426

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…In most agrarian African communities, the traditional role of males is associated with breadwinning and any condition that affects a male’s role in providing the necessary financial support is worthy of attention [ 30 ]. This study, on the other hand, could have underrepresented women due to their generally low socioeconomic status which precludes them from accessing health care at the tertiary level [ 31 , 32 ]. This suggests that efforts to stem sex-gender inequalities to access eye care should not be ignored.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiology and clinical presentation of glaucoma in a referral facility in Ghana: Any lessons for public health intervention?

et al. 2021

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the epidemiological and clinical profile of patients living with glaucoma and receiving care in a tertiary eye center in Ghana. This was a hospital-based retrospective study of clinical records of glaucoma patients from January 2010 to December 2019. The study involved collating demographic information of patients, clinical presentation, and the management of glaucoma. A total of nineteen thousand (19,000) charts were retrieved from the eye center’s archives. Out of these, 660 (3.5%) records of patients qualified for the study and were analyzed. There were 398 (60.3%) males and 262 (39.7%) females. Their ages ranged from 9 to 86 years (mean age = 47.30; SD ± 16.86 years). The averages of ocular parameters of 1,320 eyes (660 patients) were visual acuity = 0.26 ± 0.55 logMAR; intraocular pressure: 17.31 ± 6.11 mmHg; cup-to-disc ratios: 0.67 ± 0.17 D; and the average retinal nerve fibers thickness was 95.03 ± 21.74 μm. The mainstay of treatment was the sole use of medication. Males were the major group receiving glaucoma care at the tertiary level. Glaucoma cases included juveniles but the mean age suggests most were of adult-onset. Socio-demographic characteristics affected the diagnosis and management of glaucoma among patients receiving care at a referral center. Public health, stakeholders, and policymakers’ interventions can help identify individuals with glaucoma.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiology and clinical presentation of glaucoma in a referral facility in Ghana: Any lessons for public health intervention?

et al. 2021

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“…The decrease in the prevalence rate of low vision might have resulted from the increased awareness of eye health amongst parents/guardians of the participants as well as the Ghanaian society at large. 19 Improvement in socioeconomic development and health care could have also contributed to this result. 20 There has also been a general increase in access to eye care services and corrective devices in Ghana.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness amongst learners at the Akropong School for the Blind in Ghana

Kwarteng

Mashige

Naidoo

et al. 2021

African Vision and Eye Health

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Background: Low vision and blindness have significant implications, resulting in a generally reduced quality of life amongst the sufferers. Aim:To determine the prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness amongst learners at the Akropong School for the Blind. Setting:The study was conducted in Akropong School for the Blind, Ghana. Methods:A cross-sectional study design was used. Eye examinations included measurements of presenting distance visual acuity (PDVA) with the Tumbling 'E' distance LogMAR chart. Anterior and posterior segments were examined with an ophthalmoscope and a slit lamp.Results: Two hundred and sixty-eight (N = 268) learners comprising 157 (58.6%) males and 111 (41.4%) females took part in this study and their ages ranged from 4 to 43 years (mean and standard deviation [SD] = 15.79 ± 6.15 years). The results indicated that 76.1% were classified as blind and 23.9% of the learners had low vision. The leading cause of low vision was glaucoma (39.1%) followed by pseudophakia (21.9%) and retinopathy (18.8%). The most common causes of low vision and blindness based on pathology found on ocular anatomical structures were corneal opacity/phthisis bulbi (35.5%), followed by glaucoma (25%), cataract (13.4%) and retinopathy (10.8%). Conclusion:The leading causes of low vision and blindness identified in this study were because of avoidable diseases such as corneal opacity/phthisis bulbi and glaucoma. This highlighted the need for adequate primary eye care services, equitable eye health workforce distribution and eye health awareness in Ghana to help prevent low vision and blindness.

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“…The emerging field of genomics offers the potential for greater understanding of the genetic basis for many disorders, including those commonly associated with vision loss and blindness [ 1 ]. The technical and technological aspects of genomic research are unfamiliar to many Africans, as are the nature and impact of common ocular disorders on visual function [ 2 , 3 ]. The current knowledge of genetics and genomics is still very low in Africa despite its potential to reduce the burden of many genetic diseases.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some of these include cost, lack of knowledge, as well as cultural and social barriers [ 8 ]. Ofosu et al [ 3 ] also reported in their study in Ghana that lack of awareness affects health seeking behaviour and eye care service delivery. They reported that although participants in their survey knew that cataract could lead to poor vision, less than a fifth (18.6%) of them could relate cataract with blindness.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The social construction of genomics and genetic analysis in ocular diseases in Ibadan, South-western Nigeria

et al. 2022

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Genomics, an emerging field to improve public health practice, has potential benefits to understanding ocular diseases. This study explored the social construction of genomics in ocular diseases in the blind community in Ibadan, Nigeria, through two focus group discussions and twelve in-depth interview sessions conducted among people living with ocular disorders. The data were thematic and content-analysed. Although the participants had limited knowledge about ocular diseases, genomics, and their nexus, they maintained a positive attitude toward its potential benefits. This informed their willingness to participate in genomics testing for ocular diseases. The participants preferred saliva-based sample collection over blood-based, and expressed concern for the procedure and accrued benefits of genomics studies. Thus, public sensitisation about ocular diseases and client-centred genomics testing procedures should be engendered.

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Eye health knowledge and health-seeking behaviours in Ghana

Abstract: Background: To improve access to comprehensive eye health services within the community, an intervention study that sought to integrate primary eye care (PEC) into existing primary health care (PHC) services, namely Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS), was conducted.

Cited by 6 publications

References 13 publications

Epidemiology and clinical presentation of glaucoma in a referral facility in Ghana: Any lessons for public health intervention?

Epidemiology and clinical presentation of glaucoma in a referral facility in Ghana: Any lessons for public health intervention?

The prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness amongst learners at the Akropong School for the Blind in Ghana

The social construction of genomics and genetic analysis in ocular diseases in Ibadan, South-western Nigeria

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