Quality of life and barriers to undergo cataract surgery

Abstract

Cataract is the major cause of blindness and visual impairment in most cases worldwide. Measuring the QOL of patients with Cataract and assessing the Barriers to undergo Cataract surgery among patients will highlight the importance of the vision related needs of elderly population, which in turn will be an eye opener for the health care professionals to focus on the vision needs of the elderly. Aim:The study aims to assess the Quality of life and the barriers to undergo cataract surgery. Objectives: 1. Assess the Quality of Life among patients with Cataract. 2. Assess the barriers to undergo cataract surgery among patients with Cataract. 3. Find association between Quality of life and barriers with the selected demographic variables. Methods: Descriptive non experimental research design was used. The conceptual framework was based on Roy's adaptation model. A total of 100 patients with cataract advised for surgery attending OPD in DRR Eye care and Oculoplasty Hospital, Chennai were selected by purposive sampling technique. The investigator collected data using interview technique. The Quality of Life was measured using Indian Vision Function Questionnaire (IVFQ)-33 and barriers was measured using checklist. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency distribution, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (chi-square test). Results:The overall quality of life revealed that 84(84%) had good quality of life and 16(16%) had moderate quality of life. The mean score of quality of life was 59.36±10.81 with minimum score of 41.0 and maximum score of 92.0. With regard to barriers, all 100(100%) had mild level of barrier to undergo cataract surgery among patients with cataract and the mean score of barriers was 2.77±1.29 with minimum score of 0 and maximum score of 7.0. The demographic variable occupation ( 2 =10.361, p=0.035) had shown statistically significant association with quality of life at p<0.05 level. The demographic variables glaucoma ( 2 =10.714, p=0.0001) and time taken to decide for surgery from when it is advised ( 2 =6.356, p=0.044) had shown statistically significant association with mean score of barriers to undergo cataract surgery at p<0.001 and p<0.05 level respectively. Conclusion: Overall, majority of the participants had experienced good quality of life but quality of life score was less in visual functioning aspects. Certain areas such as fear of cataract surgery, cataract not matured, were able to see clearly through the other eye, old age, cost of surgery, busy with work, insufficient family income and no caregivers to look after were expressed as barriers to undergo surgery. Understanding Quality of Life and the reasons for delayed treatment will help Nurses to initiate intervention to promote utilization of eye care services.