Gender differences in the surgical management of trachomatous trichiasis: an exploratory analysis of global trachoma survey data, 2015-2019.

BACKGROUND: Trachomatous trichiasis (TT) is a painful, potentially blinding eye condition that can be managed through epilation or surgery. Women are affected by TT approximately twice as often as men and are believed to face gendered barriers to receiving surgical care to prevent vision loss. METHODS: We used data from 817 cross-sectional surveys conducted during 2015-2019 in 20 African countries to estimate the prevalence difference (PD) between female and male eyes for four outcomes potentially indicating gender-related differences in TT management: (1) received surgery and developed postoperative TT (PTT), (2) never offered surgery, (3) offered surgery but declined it, and (4) offered epilation but never offered surgery. RESULTS: The prevalence was modestly elevated among female eyes compared with male eyes for having PTT (PD:1.8 [95% confidence limits (CL): 0.6, 3.0]) and having declined surgery for the eye (PD: 6.2 [95% CL: 1.8, 10.7]). The proportion offered epilation was similar by gender (PD:0.5 [95% CL: -0.4, 1.3]), while never having been offered surgery was somewhat more prevalent among male eyes (PD: -2.1 [95% CL: -3.5, -0.7]). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest potential gender differences in TT management. More research is needed to determine the causes and implications of the observed differences.

Use of validated community-based trachoma trichiasis (TT) case finders to measure the total backlog and detect when elimination threshold is achieved: a TT methodology paper.

INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization recommends TT surveys to be conducted in adults aged 15+ years (TT 15 survey) and certifies elimination of TT as a public health problem when there is less than 1 unknown case per 1,000 people of all ages. There is no standard survey method to accurately confirm this elimination prevalence threshold of 0.1% because rare conditions require large and expensive prevalence survey samples. The aim of this study was to develop an accurate operational research method to measure the total backlog of TT in people of all ages and detect when the elimination threshold is achieved. METHODS: Between July to October 2016, an innovative Community-based, Mapping, Mop-up and Follow-up (CMMF) approach to elimination of TT as a public health problem was developed and tested in Esoit, Siana, Megwara and Naikara sub-locations in Narok County in Kenya. The County had ongoing community-based TT surgical camps and case finders. TT case finders were recruited from existing pool of Community health volunteers (CHV) in the Community Health Strategy Initiative Programme of the Ministry of Health. They were trained, validated and supervised by experienced TT surgeons. A case finder was allocated a population unit with 2 to 3 villages to conduct a de jure pre-survey census, examine all people in the unit and register those with TT (TT all survey). Identified cases were confirmed by TT surgeons prior to surgery. Operated patients were reviewed at 1 day, 2 weeks and 3-6 months. The case finders will also be used to identify and refer new and recurrent cases. People with other eye and medical conditions were treated and referred accordingly. Standardised data collection and computer based data capture tools were used. Case finders kept registers with details of all persons with TT, those operated and those who refused to be operated (refusals). These details informed decision and actions on follow-up and counselling. Progress towards achievement of elimination threshold was assessed by dividing the number of TT cases diagnosed by total population in the population unit multiplied by 1,000. RESULTS: Narok County Government adopted both the CMMF approach and TT all survey method. All persons in 4,784 households in the four sub-locations were enumerated and examined. The total population projection was 29,548 and pre-survey census 22,912 people. Fifty-three cases of TT were diagnosed. The prevalence was 0.23% and this is equivalent to 2.3 cases per thousand population of all ages. Prior to this study, the project required to operate on at least 30 cases (excess cases) to achieve the elimination threshold of 1 case per 1000 population. CONCLUSION: The total backlog of TT was confirmed and the project is now justified to lay claim of having eliminated TT as a public health problem in the study area. TT all method may not be appropriate in settings with high burden of TT. Nomadic migrations affect estimation of population size. Non-trachomatous TT could not be ruled-out.