The Impact of Sociodemographic and Socioeconomic Factors on the Burden of Cataract in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean from 1990 to 2016

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To study the impact of sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors on the cataract burden in Caribbean small island developing states (SIDS) using disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs).

Methods: National and regional age and sex specific cataract DALY numbers and rates from 1990 to 2016 for Caribbean SIDS, were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The human development index (HDI), healthcare access and quality (HAQ) index, and the World Bank’s classification of economies were used as socioeconomic status indicators. The Gini coefficient, Atkinson, Theil and concentration indices were used to measure health inequality. Paired Wilcoxon signed rank test, Pearson correlation, and linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors associated with differences in cataract burden.

Results: Men had higher age-standardized DALY rates than women (P < .001) with median rates of 90.72 (Interquartile range [IQR], 87.8–94.2) and 83.94(IQR, 80.9–86.5), respectively. The burden of cataract increased with age. Upper-middle income countries had higher age-standardized DALY rates than high income countries (P < .001), with median rates of 90.1 (IQR, 86.8–93.4) and 79.8 (IQR, 77.5–81.8), respectively. Age-standardized DALY rates were inversely correlated with HDI (r = – 0.61, β = – 51.56 [P < .05]) and HAQ (r = – 0.68, β = – 0.46 [P < .01). Between-country inequality was negligible, and the burden of cataract is greater among the poor.

Conclusion: Global trends of socioeconomic factors were confirmed. Significantly, men had higher age-standardized DALY rates than women. This is an area for further research.

KEYWORDS:

• Cataract burden
• Disability-adjusted life-years
• Caribbean
• small island developing states

Supplementary Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Proprietary interests or conflicts of interest

None of the authors.