Astrid E. Fletcher
Low Uptake of Eye Services in Rural India
investigate service uptake rural indian population served outreach eye camps identify barriers uptakea routine eye camp conducted within 5 km 48 randomly selected villages typically hindu backwardcaste communities subsequently participatory rural appraisalcommunity mapping focus groups matrix ranking semistructured interviewswas undertaken explore community views eye problems eye examination conducted persons eye problems attend eye camp predictors attendance identified multilevel regression analysisof 749 adults eye problem 51 68 attended eye camp independent predictors attendance male odds ratio 23 95 confidence interval 1245 living within 3 km camp odds ratio 45 95 confidence interval 17125 552 persons attend eye camps eye examination 242 438 low vision visual acuity 618 360 presenting better eye 38 69 blind eyes cataract surgery recommended 197 358 persons attend eye camps 109 persons previous cataract operation 42 385 low vision 11 101 blind fear principally eye damage cost direct indirect family responsibilities ageism fatalism attitude able cope low vision principal barriers attending eye campsa high proportion people could benefited eye treatment using available services poor visual outcomes observed surgically treated persons