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Original Article

Using Key Informant Method to Determine the Prevalence and Causes of Childhood Blindness in South-Eastern Nigeria

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Pages 401-405 | Received 04 Sep 2016, Accepted 11 Apr 2017, Published online: 22 May 2017
 

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To determine the prevalence and causes of childhood blindness in an underserved community in south-eastern Nigeria using the key informant method.

Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Key informants (KI) appointed by their respective communities received 1-day training on identification of blind children in their communities. Two weeks later, the research team visited the agreed sites within the community and examined the identified children. The World Health Organization eye examination record for blind children was used for data collection. Data entry and analysis were done with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0.

Results: Fifteen blind or severely visually impaired children (age range 3 months to 15 years) were identified in this community; nine of these were brought by the KIs. The prevalence of childhood blindness/severe visual impairment (BL/SVI) was 0.12 per 1000 children. By anatomical classification, operable cataract in 6 (40.0%) was the leading cause of BL/SVI in the series; followed by optic nerve lesions (atrophy/hypoplasia) in 3 (20.0%). The etiology of BL/SVI is unknown for the majority of the children (66.7%). It was presumed hereditary in four children (26.7%). Sixty percent of the blindness was judged avoidable. Only three children (20.0%) were enrolled in the Special Education Centre for the Blind.

Conclusion: The prevalence of childhood BL/SVI in our study population is low but over half of the blindness is avoidable. There may be a significant backlog of operable childhood cataract in south-eastern Nigeria. The KI method is a practical method for case finding of blind children in rural communities.

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge assistance received from Drs. N. Nwachukwu, L. Okwesili (senior residents) and G. Enechi (optometrist) in the field work.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the writing and content of this article.

Funding

This work was sponsored by a grant from Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Nigeria.

Additional information

Funding

This work was sponsored by a grant from Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Nigeria.

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