Chatterjee Samrat, Gangwe Anil B, Agrawal Deepshikha
Department of Cornea and Anterior Segment, MGM Eye Institute, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India.
Department of Vitreo-retina, MGM Eye Institute, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India.
Indian J Ophthalmol. 2025 Jan 1;73(1):45-51. doi: 10.4103/IJO.IJO_849_24. Epub 2024 Dec 23.
To report the health-seeking behaviors of individuals with acute viral conjunctivitis during an outbreak.
A cross-sectional survey was carried out in the Raipur district of Chhattisgarh after an outbreak of acute conjunctivitis in July-August 2023.
The treatment choices were pharmacies (51.4%), ophthalmologists (21.1%), quacks (non-qualified doctors) (6.8%), general practitioners (1.6%), home remedies (5.2%), and no treatment (13.9%). Treatment preferences were influenced by place of residence (P < 0.001), occupation (P = 0.002), socioeconomic category (P < 0.001), and highest level of education of male (P < 0.001) and female (P < 0.001) members within the household. The overall expenditure was higher when patients sought treatment from quacks (INR 427.27 ± 202.21), followed by ophthalmologists (INR 374.57 ± 251.31) and pharmacies (INR 201.39 ± 102.65) (P < 0.001). Individuals aged 21-40 years (odds ratio [OR]: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.05-1.03, P = 0.055) and those from villages (OR: 0.16, 95% CI: 0.07-0.32, P < 0.001) were less likely to use prophylaxis. Individuals from families with high level of education of male members (OR: 2.70, 95% CI: 1.08-7.20, P = 0.039) or large family sizes (OR: 6.27, 95% CI: 2.42-19.09, P = 0.039) were more likely to use prophylaxis. The use of separate items of daily use reduced the risk of spread of conjunctivitis (OR: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.06-0.35, P = 0.035).
Several insights into health-seeking behaviors among individuals with conjunctivitis during an outbreak were identified in this study, which can aid public health interventions during future outbreaks.
报告急性病毒性结膜炎暴发期间患者的求医行为。
2023年7月至8月，在恰蒂斯加尔邦赖布尔地区急性结膜炎暴发后开展了一项横断面调查。
治疗选择包括药店（51.4%）、眼科医生（21.1%）、庸医（不合格医生）（6.8%）、全科医生（1.6%）、家庭疗法（5.2%）以及不治疗（13.9%）。治疗偏好受居住地点（P<0.001）、职业（P=0.002）、社会经济类别（P<0.001）以及家庭中男性（P<0.001）和女性（P<0.001）成员的最高教育水平影响。患者向庸医求医时的总支出更高（427.27印度卢比±202.21），其次是眼科医生（374.57印度卢比±251.31）和药店（201.39印度卢比±102.65）（P<0.001）。21至40岁的个体（优势比[OR]：0.２4，95%置信区间：0.05-1.03，P=0.055）以及来自农村的个体（OR：0.16，95%置信区间：0.07-0.32，P<0.001）使用预防措施的可能性较小。男性成员受教育程度高的家庭（OR：2.70，95%置信区间：1.08-7.20，P=0.039）或家庭规模大的个体（OR：6.27，95%置信区间：2.42-19.09，P=0.039）使用预防措施的可能性更大。使用单独的日常用品可降低结膜炎传播风险（OR：0.24；95%置信区间：0.06-0.35，P=0.035）。
本研究确定了对急性结膜炎暴发期间患者求医行为的一些见解，这有助于未来暴发期间的公共卫生干预。
