Bath P E
J Natl Med Assoc. 1979 Feb;71(2):145-8.
The high incidence of eye abnormalities among blacks, coupled with the relative unavailability of ophthalmic services, has resulted in excessive rates of blindness otherwise preventable or curable. As a consequence, incidence rates for blindness are higher for the black population than the white population.Statistics show that black children requiring eyeglasses are less likely to receive eyeglasses than similar age-matched white children. In virtually every state surveyed, blacks were more frequently and severely afflicted with eye diseases and were less likely to receive treatment than whites. Yet, no programs exist in any state specifically targeted to promote eye care among blacks and reverse the ever-worsening trend. Additional data characterizing the scope of the problem shall be presented.An initial strategy for approaching the problem, namely, community ophthalmology, has been developed. Community ophthalmology represents a new discipline promoting eye health and blindness prevention through programs utilizing methodologies of public health, community medicine, and ophthalmology. Basically, the use of community ophthalmology strategies is critical to positive out-come, when given a population composed of blacks and other minorities who are chronically underserved with regard to all sectors of health.The evolution and rationale for these concepts are discussed from national, as well as international, perspectives.
黑人眼部异常的高发病率，再加上眼科服务相对匮乏，导致了原本可预防或可治愈的失明率过高。因此，黑人的失明发病率高于白人。统计数据表明，与年龄相仿的白人儿童相比，需要戴眼镜的黑人儿童更难获得眼镜。在几乎所有接受调查的州，黑人比白人更频繁、更严重地患有眼部疾病，且接受治疗的可能性更小。然而，没有一个州有专门针对促进黑人眼部护理并扭转日益恶化趋势的项目。还将提供描述该问题范围的其他数据。已经制定了一种解决该问题的初步策略，即社区眼科学。社区眼科学是一门新学科，通过利用公共卫生、社区医学和眼科学方法的项目来促进眼部健康和预防失明。基本上，当面对一个在所有健康领域长期得不到充分服务的由黑人和其他少数族裔组成的人群时，采用社区眼科学策略对于取得积极成果至关重要。将从国内以及国际视角讨论这些概念的演变和基本原理。
