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Background: The eye-care seeking behaviour of parents for their children has a role to play in increasing or reducing the prevalence of childhood blindness. In Nigeria, little or no work has been done in this area. Hence, this study was carried out with a view to assisting eye-care professionals plan better program regimens and also to help them identify various elements that either facilitate or hinder eye-care seeking behaviour of parents for their school age children.Methods: This was a qualitative narrative study. Data were collected using in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). Thirty-five parents and 10 eye-care practitioners were selected by random sampling and homogenous sampling methods, respectively. Parents were selected, based on those who sought care and those who did not seek care for their children after a school screening exercise. Collected data were analysed qualitatively by transcribing the voice recordings of interview sessions into textual data and themes were raised.Results: Four FGDs and 13 IDIs were conducted. Parents were more likely to seek care for manifest conditions than for conditions they could not perceive. A family history of ocular disease and repetitiveness of complaints facilitated parents to seek eye care for their children. The cost of eye-care services was a major barrier. Logistics such as fixing a doctor's appointment, getting time off work and long waiting periods at the clinic were also reported as barriers. Fear of treatment options and family interferences were also mentioned.Conclusion: Parents have some concerns and challenges in seeking eye care for their children. This study recommends that more work be done through planned awareness programs to educate parents and help them overcome the concerns and barriers that hinder them from seeking eye care for their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the barriers and incentives to eye care utilization (ECU) in Abagana, a rural south-eastern Nigerian community. The study was a population-based cross-sectional mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) survey of adult inhabitants of Abagana, in July-August, 2011. Data on respondents' socio-demographics, barriers and incentives to ECU were collected, and analysed using descriptive and comparative statistics. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Qualitative data were obtained from focus group discussions and in-depth interviews and analyzed using ATLAS.ti software. The 549 respondents (males 224) were aged 49.8 ± 15.9 SD years (range 18-93 years). Overall, orthodox eye care had ever been sought by 42.4 %, and 46.4 % of those who reported change in vision. Lack of awareness-31.8 %, cost-18.0 %, and fatalistic attitudes-15.9 % were the main ECU barriers. Possession of health insurance (OR 11.49; 95 % CI 4.21-31.34; p = 0.001), family history of eye disorder (OR 3.27, 95 % CI 2.03-5.26; p = 0.001), noticed change in vision (OR 11.30; 95 % CI 1.42-90.09; p = 0.022), current eye disease (OR 4.06; 95 % CI 2.29-7.19; p = 0.001) and systemic co-morbidity (OR 4.33; 95 % CI 2.67-7.02; p = 0.001) were the incentives to ECU. To enhance the low ECU in Abagana community, educational interventions on eye health maintenance and eye health seeking behaviours, and measures to reduce eye care cost are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess eye care service utilization, and identify access barriers in a south-eastern Nigerian albino population. The study was a population-based, cross-sectional survey conducted in Enugu state between August, 2011 and January, 2012. Using the data base of the state's Albino Foundation and tailored awareness creation, persons living with albinism were identified and recruited at two study centres. Data on participants' socio-demographics, perception of vision, visual needs, previous eye examination and or low vision assessment, use of glasses or low vision devices were collected. Reasons for non-utilisation of available vision care services were also obtained. Descriptive and comparative statistics were performed. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The participants (n = 153; males 70; females 83; sex ratio: 1:1.1) were aged 23.46 + 10.44 SD years (range 6-60 years). Most-95.4 % of the participants had no previous low vision assessment and none-0.0 % had used low vision device. Of the participants, 82.4 % reported previous eye examination, 33.3 % had not used spectacles previously, despite the existing need. Ignorance-88.9 % and poor access-8.5 % were the main barriers to uptake of vision care services. In Enugu, Nigeria, there is poor awareness and low utilization of vision care services among people with albinism. The identified barriers to vision care access are amenable to awareness creation and logistic change in the provision of appropriate vision care services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify the perceived barriers to the provision of clinical low-vision service among ophthalmologists in Nigeria, with a view to proffering measures for their removal. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of ophthalmologists attending the Annual Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria Congress in September 2005 was conducted. Using self-administered questionnaires, information relevant to low-vision practice and the perceived barriers to the provision of low-vision services was garnered. Results: Eighty-three (70.9%) ophthalmologists out of 117 eligible participants at the congress responded to all of the questions and returned the study questionnaires. Non-availability of low-vision devices within the country (88%), lack of training in low-vision care (73.5%), lack of public awareness of low-vision care and its practitioners (60.2%), and the ophthalmologists' preoccupation with general ophthalmic practice (56.6%) were cited as the major barriers. With regard to the fellows and the residents in training, there was a statistically significant difference in their perception of two of the investigated barriers, namely, that low-vision care is not lucrative (T value: 4.46; 95% CI: 0.16± 0.07) and low-vision care is time-consuming (T value: 2.05; 95% CI: 0.145± 0.14). Conclusion: Training in low-vision care should be provided within the country for interested relevant personnel at all levels. Moreover, low-vision devices should be made accessible and available to the practitioners. There is a need in Nigeria for widespread health education/awareness campaigns in low-vision care, targeted primarily at ophthalmologists, allied eye-care providers, and the general public. There is a need to include low-vision practice in the curriculum of the ophthalmology residency program in Nigeria. Further qualitative research may need to be conducted to explain the differences in responses between subsets of the study population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]