Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology
Open Access

Barriers to adhesion to Trichiasis surgery by people in the health area of Tourouin Cameroon

lnternational Conference on Eye Disorders and Treatment

July 13-15, 2015 Baltimore, USA

Epee Emilienne

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Clin Exp Ophthalmol

Abstract :

Trachoma is one of the tropical neglected diseases. Its active form affects 84 million people worldwide and more than 10 million people suffer from trichiasis. In Cameroon, North and Far North regions are affected with prevalence upto 1.09%. Despite synergistic action for control and eradication of the disease programs are failing to have adequate adhesion of the communities�?? to surgical management of complications causing blindness. We aim at identifying the barriers to surgery. In May 2014 after a surgical campaign, we undertook a descriptive qualitative and quantitative study and in the health area of Tourou. We sampled per convenience. Included were patients with trichiasis and entropion irrespective of age identified through the record books who refused to adhere to the surgical campaign present and available for data collection; With a pre prepared guide we had a deep interview with each patients in their homes when they consented. We included 30 participants a sex ratio of 1,7 in favor of females, They were all homemakers for females and farmers for males , living within 5to 10 km away from the health center, 36% had been having trichiasis and entropion for more than a year while others could not remember when it started. Eighty percent of cases knew what they had they had used drops or ointment seen traditional healers and had epilation for x y z cases respectively. Among the barriers came fear in 33% sociocultural beliefs rejecting surgery in 23% and time in 13% of all cases. Lack of awareness about the benefit of surgery as management of trichiasis and entropion is the main barrier not poverty neither access to the health center. Therefore precampaign strategies should consider communities beliefs to improve adherence to surgery.

Biography :

Epee Emilienne is a Cameroonian ophthalmologist trained in Germany for undergraduates and in Zimbabwe for Masters in ophthalmology. She is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Ophthalmology in University of Yaounde in Cameroon and a PhD student at UKNZ in South Africa researching on ocular morbidity. Her area of interest is primary eye care.