Balarabe Aliyu Hamza, Mahmoud Abdulraheem O, Ayanniyi Abdulkabir Ayansiji
Department of Ophthalmology, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin-kebbi, Nigeria.
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria.
Middle East Afr J Ophthalmol. 2014 Apr-Jun;21(2):147-52. doi: 10.4103/0974-9233.129764.
To determine the causes of blindness and the barriers to accessing rehabilitation services (RS) among blind street beggars (bsb) in Sokoto, Nigeria.
A cross-sectional survey of 202 bsb (VA < 3/60) using interviewer administered questionnaire. The causes of blindness were diagnosed by clinical ophthalmic examination.
There were 107 (53%) males and 95 (47%) females with a mean age of 49 years (SD 12.2). Most bsb 191 (94.6%) had non-formal education. Of 190 (94.1%) irreversibly bsb, 180/190 (94.7%) had no light perception (NPL) bilaterally. The major causes of blindness were non-trachomatous corneal opacity (60.8%) and trachoma corneal opacity (12.8%). There were 166 (82%) blind from avoidable causes and 190 (94.1%) were irreversibly blind with 76.1% due to avoidable causes. The available sub-standard RS were educational, vocational and financial support. The barriers to RS in the past included non-availability 151 (87.8%), inability to afford 2 (1.2%), unfelt need 4 (2.3%), family refusal 1 (0.6), ignorance 6 (3.5%) and being not linked 8 (4.7%). The barriers to RS during the study period included inability of 72 subjects (35.6%) to access RS and 59 (81.9%) were due to lack of linkage to the existing services.
Corneal opacification was the major cause of blindness among bsb. The main challenges to RS include the inadequate services available, societal and users factors. Renewed efforts are warranted toward the prevention of avoidable causes of blindness especially corneal opacities. The quality of life of the blind street beggar should be improved through available, accessible and affordable well-maintained and sustained rehabilitation services.
确定尼日利亚索科托街头盲人乞丐失明的原因以及获得康复服务的障碍。
采用访谈式问卷对202名街头盲人乞丐（视力<3/60）进行横断面调查。通过临床眼科检查诊断失明原因。
有107名（53%）男性和95名（47%）女性，平均年龄49岁（标准差12.2）。大多数街头盲人乞丐191名（94.6%）接受过非正规教育。在190名（94.1%）不可逆性失明的街头盲人乞丐中，180/190名（94.7%）双眼无光感。失明的主要原因是非沙眼性角膜混浊（60.8%）和沙眼性角膜混浊（12.8%）。166名（82%）因可避免原因失明，190名（94.1%）为不可逆性失明，其中76.1%是由可避免原因导致。现有的不合标准的康复服务包括教育、职业和经济支持。过去获得康复服务的障碍包括无法获得（151名，87.8%）、无力承担（2名，1.2%）、无需求感（4名，2.3%）、家人拒绝（1名，0.6%）、无知（6名，3.5%）以及无联系（8名，4.7%）。研究期间获得康复服务的障碍包括72名受试者（35.6%）无法获得康复服务，其中59名（81.9%）是由于与现有服务无联系。
角膜混浊是街头盲人乞丐失明的主要原因。获得康复服务的主要挑战包括现有服务不足、社会因素和使用者因素。有必要重新努力预防可避免的失明原因，尤其是角膜混浊。应通过提供可得、可及、负担得起、维护良好且持续的康复服务来改善街头盲人乞丐的生活质量。
