Risk Factors of Blindness in Sudan 2019

Mohanad Kamaleldin Mahmoud Ibrahim, Mustafa Elnimeiri

Abstract


Background: Blindness is a visual acuity of less than 3/60 or a corresponding visual field loss to less than 10 degrees in the better eye with the best possible correction. It has significant negative impacts on the community; including physical limitations, psychological effects and financial burden. The objective of this research was to study the associated risk factors of blindness in Sudan.

Materials& Methods: This was an outreached based cross- sectional study conducted among 858 participants on four different cities in Sudan; Khartoum, Kassala, Nyala and Aldamazin in 2019.The questionnaire was composed of 43 close-ended questions on socio-demographic data and risk factors of blindness. Cluster sampling was used to draw the sample proportional to size at each camp and then systemic random sampling was used to select participants. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0.0. This study was estimated at 95% confidence level.

Results: 78% of blinds were illiterate. 17% has family history of blindness with significant association among the first degree relatives (P-value=0.003). Smoking was an associated risk factor in term of frequency of tobacco consumption (P-value=0.041) and obesity was inversely associated factor (64%) of Body Mass Index less than 30.

Conclusion: Illiteracy, first degree family history of blindness and frequency of smoking were associated risk factors of blindness while obesity was inversely associated with it.

 

Keywords: Blindness; Risk Factors; Family history; Health illiteracy;obesity


Keywords


Blindness; Risk Factors; Family history; Health illiteracy;obesity

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.52155/ijpsat.v15.2.1143

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