Traditional Eye Practices: Economics and Visual Status of Users in North Central Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Traditional medicine is a constellation of practices, approaches, knowledge, and beliefs, which encompass material-based medicines, spiritual therapies, and manual techniques applied individually or combined. AIM: This study seeks to determine the cost and visual status of traditional eye treatments users among new patients at a health facility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is part of the study titled "Traditional eye practices: A facility-based study in North Central Nigeria." It is a cross-sectional, facility-based study conducted between July 2013 and June 2014 on new patients seen in the eye unit of Church of Christ in the Nations Rehabilitation Center, Mangu. Interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was used to gather information on patient demographics; cost of traditional eye medication and manipulations and visual status of new patients were recorded. RESULTS: The use of traditional eye treatment was reported by 134 (4.3%) of the 3113 new patients. Traditional operative couching of lens was more expensive than using traditional eye medications (P < 0.001). Payment modality varied, and poor visual status was significantly higher among traditional eye treatment users (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Since most respondents who had their eyes couched or used traditional eye medicine were able to pay such high price with dissatisfaction and poorer visual status, they should be able to pay for modern cataract surgery with good outcome. There is a need for health education of the general public about the deleterious effects of traditional eye treatment.

Evaluation of Impact of Ophthalmology Rotation on Family Medicine Practice in Northern Nigeria: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: Globally, 36 million people are blind and 217 million people have moderate or severe distance vision impairment. Eighty-nine percent of vision impaired people live in low and middle-income countries. To prevent progression to blindness, there is need for early diagnosis and referral for treatment. At the heart of this are the Family Physicians who are the first port of call for our teeming population. OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study is to assess the ophthalmic knowledge base of Family Physicians and level of utilization of skills acquired during the ophthalmology rotation in their day-to-day practice. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted. A self-administered questionnaire was filled by all consenting Family Physicians in 4 hospitals in 2 states. It included self-assessment section on knowledge, ophthalmic skills and open-ended questions on suggestions. On the spot assessment of available ophthalmic equipment was made. RESULTS: A response rate of 57.9% was obtained. Respondents are graduates from 14 states across the country; mostly in Northern Nigeria 61(87.1%) and 65.6% from University of Jos. There was no statistically significant difference between the level of practice and comfort in managing ophthalmic conditions (p = 0.949). Respondents made suggestions on training, duration and equipment. CONCLUSION: Despite good rating in managing ophthalmic conditions, only one of the 4 hospitals had ophthalmic equipment. There is a need to objectively measure Family Physicians' ophthalmic skills to ensure that eye patients seen first by Family Physicians receive appropriate treatment.

CONTEXTE: Dans le monde, 36 millions de personnes sont aveugles et 217 millions de personnes souffrent d'une déficience modérée ou grave de la vision de loin. Quatre-vingt-neuf pour cent des personnes atteintes de déficience visuelle vivent dans des pays à revenu faible ou moyen. Pour prévenir la progression vers la cécité, il est nécessaire de poser un diagnostic précoce et d'orienter les patients vers un traitement. Les médecins de famille sont au cœur de cette démarche, car ils sont les premiers à s'occuper de cette population foisonnante. OBJECTIFS: L'objectif principal de cette étude est d'évaluer la base de connaissances ophtalmologiques des médecins de famille et le niveau d'utilisation des compétences acquises pendant la rotation en ophtalmologie dans leur pratique quotidienne. MÉTHODES: Une enquête descriptive transversale a été menée. Un questionnaire auto-administré a été rempli par tous les médecins de famille consentants dans 4 hôpitaux de 2 états. Il comprenait une section d'auto-évaluation des connaissances, des compétences ophtalmiques et des questions ouvertes sur les suggestions. Une évaluation sur place de l'équipement ophtalmique disponible a été effectuée. RÉSULTATS: Un taux de réponse de 57,9% a été obtenu. Les répondants sont des diplômés de 14 États du pays, principalement du nord du Nigeria (61, 87,1%) et 65,6% de l'Université de Jos. Il n'y avait pas de différence statistiquement significative entre le niveau de pratique et de confort dans la gestion des conditions ophtalmiques (p = 0,949). Les répondants ont fait des suggestions sur la formation, la durée et l'équipement. CONCLUSION: Malgré une bonne évaluation dans la prise en charge des conditions ophtalmiques, seul un des 4 hôpitaux disposait d'un équipement ophtalmique. Il est nécessaire de mesurer objectivement les compétences ophtalmiques des médecins de famille afin de s'assurer que les patients oculaires vus en premier par les médecins de famille reçoivent un traitement approprié. Mots clés: Ophtalmologie, Médecine de famille, formation, Nigeria.

EVALUATION OF IMPACT OF OPHTHALMOLOGY ROTATION ON FAMILY MEDICINE PRACTICE IN NORTHERN NIGERIA: A MULTICENTER STUDY.

Introduction: Globally, 36 million people are blind and 217 million people have moderate or severe distance vision impairment. Eighty-nine percent of vision-impaired people live in low and middle-income countries. To prevent progression to blindness, there is a need for early diagnosis and referral for treatment. At the heart of this are the Family Physicians who are the first port of call for our teeming population. Objectives: The main aim of this study is to assess the ophthalmic knowledge base of Family Physicians and the level of utilization of skills acquired during the ophthalmology rotation in their day-to-day practice. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted. A self-administered questionnaire was filled by all consenting Family Physicians in 4 hospitals in 2 states. It included a self-assessment section on knowledge, ophthalmic skills, and open-ended questions on suggestions. An on-the-spot assessment of available ophthalmic equipment was made. Data was analyzed using STATA 13 with descriptive and analytical statistics to yield frequencies, percentages, and proportions. A significant between-class difference was indicated by P < 0.05. Results: A response rate of 57.9% was obtained. Respondents are graduates from 14 states across the country; mostly in Northern Nigeria 61(87.1%) and 65.6% from the University of Jos. Most respondents received the 4 weeks of ophthalmology rotation 53(82.8%) in undergraduate and 61 (95.3%) in postgraduate. On a dichotomized Likert scale, 68 (97.1%) rated their ophthalmology posting/training experience as satisfactory with half of these ranking their experience as average. There was no statistically significant difference between the level of practice and comfort in managing ophthalmic conditions (p = 0.949). Respondents made suggestions on training, duration and equipment. Conclusion: Most Family Physicians had ophthalmology training for the required 4 weeks by the colleges in addition to the undergraduate training giving them a good knowledge base. Despite a good rating in managing ophthalmic conditions, only one of the 4 hospitals had ophthalmic equipment. There is a need to objectively measure Family Physicians' ophthalmic skills to ensure that eye patients seen first by Family Physicians receive appropriate treatment.