Gnyawali S, Bhattarai D, Upadhyay M P
BP Eye Foundation, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Nepal J Ophthalmol. 2012 Jan-Jun;4(1):96-101. doi: 10.3126/nepjoph.v4i1.5859.
Preventable and treatable eye diseases are still major causes of blindness in rural communities.
To find the factors influencing utilization of primary eye health services among the people in a rural community of Nepal.
This was a population-based study with a cross-sectional and descriptive design. Lete Ilaka in Mustang District of Nepal was the study site. Data of knowledge on eye diseases, availability of services and utilization of available services were obtained from female care takers. Association among variables was observed by bivariate analysis.
A total of 216 female care takers participated in the study. The median age of the respondents was 39 years. Almost 80 % of the respondents had agriculture as their major occupation and more than a quarter were from lower castes (dalit) community. Low level of educational attainment (OR = 3.1, 95 % CI = 1.6-6.1) and poverty (OR = 2.0, 95 % CI = 1.13-3.43) among respondents were found to be significantly associated with a low level of awareness on eye diseases. The risk of not knowing about eye diseases increased more than 3.5 times when people were illiterate. Locally available eye health services and skills amongst the health workers were found inadequate.
Low level of education, poor knowledge of eye diseases and great distance from home to health facilities were found to be factors on the demand side while inadequacy of eye health services and perceived inadequate skills among health workers were identified as factors in the supply side affecting utilization of eye health services among people of Mustang District.
可预防和可治疗的眼病仍是农村社区失明的主要原因。
找出影响尼泊尔一个农村社区居民对初级眼保健服务利用的因素。
这是一项基于人群的研究，采用横断面和描述性设计。尼泊尔木斯塘地区的莱泰伊拉卡是研究地点。从女性照料者那里获取了关于眼病的知识、服务可及性以及对现有服务利用情况的数据。通过双变量分析观察变量之间的关联。
共有216名女性照料者参与了研究。受访者的年龄中位数为39岁。近80%的受访者以农业为主要职业，超过四分之一来自低种姓（达利特）社区。研究发现，受访者中低教育水平（比值比=3.1，95%置信区间=1.6 - 6.1）和贫困（比值比=2.0，95%置信区间=1.13 - 3.43）与对眼病的低知晓水平显著相关。当人们不识字时，对眼病一无所知的风险增加超过3.5倍。发现当地现有的眼保健服务以及卫生工作者的技能不足。
低教育水平、对眼病的了解不足以及家离卫生设施距离远被发现是需求方的因素，而眼保健服务不足以及卫生工作者被认为技能不足则被确定为供应方影响木斯塘地区居民眼保健服务利用的因素。
