Barriers To The Uptake Of Cataract Surgical Services In Merti Division, Isiolo, Kenya.

ABSTRACT

The immense burden of blindness is prevalent in rural communities of developing countries, which are characterized by a high backlog of unoperated cataract and increasing incidence of cataract due to the ageing population. The factors that hinder people from accessing such sight-restoring services remain a major challenge for all eyecare professionals with a public health perspective. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in all the six locations of Merti Division in Jsiolo District of Eastern Province of Kenya. This study was aimed at identifying the barriers to the uptake of cataract surgical services where neither general eye-care services nor the cataract surgical services are available. Out of the 717 eye patients examined at rural health facilities, 98 (14%) operable cataract cases (vision less than 6/60 in one or both eyes) were detected by the use of the Snellen's Chart-E and a torch. More females (63; 64.3%) than males (35; 35.7%) attended the clinics during the screening exercise although statistically there was no significant difference between the sexes of the patients in different locations (:l =4.643; df =5; P = 0.461). There was a significant number of the elderly (78; 80%) patients in attendance than the young adults (:x.,2 = 160.041; df = 3; P