Prevalence and risk factors for near and far visual difficulty in Burkina Faso.

PURPOSE

To determine the prevalence and risk factors for near and far visual difficulty in Burkina Faso.

METHODS

Population-based data were used from the World Health Survey done in Burkina Faso in 2002-2003;2003 (n=4,822 adults). Near and far visual difficulty were assessed by questions about difficulty seeing and recognizing an object at arm's length and about difficulty seeing and recognizing a person across the road. Prevalence estimates were adjusted for the multi-stage, stratified, random cluster sampling design. Logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of any near and far visual difficulty was 10% (standard error [SE] = 0.7%) and 13% (SE=0.9%) respectively. Prevalence estimates were strongly associated with age with 48% (SE=4.2%) and 66% (SE=3.9%) of those >or= 65 years old having near or far visual difficulty (P < 0.001). Only 5% (SE=0.6%) of people wore glasses. We identified two potentially modifiable variables associated with near visual difficulty: a cooking stove in the same room as sleeping area (Odds Ratio [OR]=1.45, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.01, 2.02) and high fruit consumption (OR=0.65, 95% CI 0.50, 0.86).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of visual difficulty was high in Burkina Faso. Efforts to confirm these findings with cooking stove location and fruit consumption should be undertaken in this population.