Tóm tắt
Background: To describe the reasons for non-utilisation of eye care services among adults aged 40 years and above in a rural population of West Africa.
Methods: During a population-based cross-sectional survey, an interviewer administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on respondents’ demographic characteristics, personal medical history, previous use of eye care services, ocular symptoms and reasons for not utilising eye care services.
Results: A total of 643 participants were studied. Majority of the respondents (547; 85.1%) had a history of ocular symptoms, either in the past or at the time of the study. One hundred and twenty-two respondents (19.0%) had previously consulted orthodox facilities to seek eye care; and 23.9% of the respondents with presenting visual acuity worse than 6/18 in the better eye had previously sought eye care. Reasons given by the respondents with ocular symptoms for not seeking eye care included a perception that the problem was not important in 188 (44.2%) respondents and financial constraints in 139 (32.7%) respondents. Barriers encountered by respondents who had sought eye care include financial constraints in 30 (24.6%) respondents, long distance in 21(17.2%) and strikes by hospital workers in 3 (2.5%) respondents.
Conclusion: A significant proportion of people in need of eye care services in this rural adult population are not utilising or seeking eye care services. Reasons given for non-utilisation include the perception that the eye problem was not important, financial constraints, ageism, fear and not knowing where to go for help. Barriers encountered were long distance, long waiting time, repeated appointments, strikes by hospital staff and poor service delivery.
Keywords: Barriers, Eye care services, Utilisation, Rural community, West Africa.
Résumé
Contexte: Pour décrire les raisons de la non-utilisation des services de soins oculaires chez des adultes âgés de 40 ans et plus dans une population rurale de l’Afrique de l’Ouest.
Méthodes: Au cours d’une enquête transversale, un questionnaire administré par un intervieweur a été utilisé pour obtenir des informations sur les caractéristiques démographiques, les antécédents médicaux personnels, l’utilisation antérieure des soins oculaires, les symptômes oculaires et les raisons à ne pas utiliser les services de soins oculaires.
Résultats: Un total de 643 participants ont été étudiés. La majorité des répondants (547, 85,1%) avaient des symptômes oculaires antécédents, soit dans le passé, ou au moment de l’étude. Cent vingt-deux répondants (19,0%) avaient auparavant consulté des établissements orthodoxes pour obtenir des soins oculaires; et 23,9% des personnes interrogées présentant une acuité visuelle inférieure à 6/18 dans le meilleur œil avaient précédemment consulté pour des soins oculaires. Les raisons fournir par les répondants ayant des symptômes oculaires pour ne pas avoir consulté pour des soins oculaires était que le problème n’était pas important chez 188 répondants (44,2%) et des contraintes financières chez 139 répondants (32,7%). Les obstacles rencontrés
par les répondants qui ont demandé des soins oculaires comprennent les contraintes financières chez 30 répondants (24,6%), les longues distances chez 21 (17,2%) et les grèves des agents hospitaliers chez 3 (2,5%) répondants.
Conclusion: Une proportion importante de personnes ayant besoin de services de soins oculaires dans cette population adulte rurale n’utilisent pas ou ne recherchent pas de services de soins oculaires. Les raisons données pour la non-utilisation incluent la perception que le problème oculaire n’était pas important, les contraintes financières, l’âgisme, la peur et ne sachant pas où aller chercher de l’aide. Les obstacles rencontrés étaient les longues distances, les longs délais d’attente, les rendez-vous répétés, les grèves des agents hospitaliers et la mauvaise prestation de service.
Mots-clés: Barrières, Services de soins oculaires, Utilisation, Communauté rurale, Afrique de l’Ouest.
Correspondence: Dr. B.A.Olusanya, Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. E-mail: bolutifeo@yahoo.com
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