Abstract：
BACKGROUND: There is a high prevalence of vision impairment and blindness in Africa. The poor access to eye health services, among other barriers, has been found to have a considerable effect on the burden of avoidable vision loss and blindness, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the accessibility of and barriers to the utilisation of eye health services in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana.
METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Kumasi Metropolis of the Ashanti Region in Ghana to identify barriers affecting the utilisation of eye health services.
METHODS: Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants visiting the eye clinics at five selected District Municipal Hospitals for the first time. Data were collected by means of questionnaires and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).
RESULTS: Barriers faced by participants when accessing eye health services included distance to the clinic, cost of services, time spent away from work and/or school, self-medication and long waiting periods.
CONCLUSIONS: The study found that eye care services in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana are largely accessible, but underutilised. Improvement of public health education initiatives through engagement with community groups will also enhance uptake at health care facilities.Contribution: Underutilisation of health services in the Metropolis has been identified in the study and must be addressed by health managers in various sectors. Accessibility is relatively good but can further be improved especially for the elderly to be able to utilise health care services with ease.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the accessibility of and barriers to the utilisation of eye health services in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana.
METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Kumasi Metropolis of the Ashanti Region in Ghana to identify barriers affecting the utilisation of eye health services.
METHODS: Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants visiting the eye clinics at five selected District Municipal Hospitals for the first time. Data were collected by means of questionnaires and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).
RESULTS: Barriers faced by participants when accessing eye health services included distance to the clinic, cost of services, time spent away from work and/or school, self-medication and long waiting periods.
CONCLUSIONS: The study found that eye care services in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana are largely accessible, but underutilised. Improvement of public health education initiatives through engagement with community groups will also enhance uptake at health care facilities.Contribution: Underutilisation of health services in the Metropolis has been identified in the study and must be addressed by health managers in various sectors. Accessibility is relatively good but can further be improved especially for the elderly to be able to utilise health care services with ease.
摘要：
背景：在非洲，视力障碍和失明的患病率很高。难以获得眼保健服务，在其他障碍中，已发现对可避免的视力丧失和失明的负担有相当大的影响，特别是在低收入和中等收入国家。
目的：确定加纳库马西大都市眼科健康服务的可及性和利用障碍。
方法：在加纳阿散蒂地区的库马西大都会进行了描述性横断面调查，以确定影响眼保健服务利用的障碍。
方法：首次采用便利抽样方法招募了在五个选定的地区市政医院眼科诊所就诊的参与者。通过问卷调查收集数据，并使用社会科学统计软件包（SPSS）进行分析。
结果：参与者在获得眼保健服务时面临的障碍包括到诊所的距离，服务成本,远离工作和/或学校的时间，自我治疗和漫长的等待期。
结论：研究发现，库马西大都会的眼部护理服务，加纳基本上是可以接近的，但未得到充分利用。通过与社区团体的接触来改善公共卫生教育举措也将提高卫生保健设施的使用率。贡献：研究中已确定大都市的卫生服务利用不足，必须由各个部门的卫生管理人员解决。可达性相对较好，但可以进一步提高，特别是对于老年人，以便能够轻松利用医疗保健服务。
目的：确定加纳库马西大都市眼科健康服务的可及性和利用障碍。
方法：在加纳阿散蒂地区的库马西大都会进行了描述性横断面调查，以确定影响眼保健服务利用的障碍。
方法：首次采用便利抽样方法招募了在五个选定的地区市政医院眼科诊所就诊的参与者。通过问卷调查收集数据，并使用社会科学统计软件包（SPSS）进行分析。
结果：参与者在获得眼保健服务时面临的障碍包括到诊所的距离，服务成本,远离工作和/或学校的时间，自我治疗和漫长的等待期。
结论：研究发现，库马西大都会的眼部护理服务，加纳基本上是可以接近的，但未得到充分利用。通过与社区团体的接触来改善公共卫生教育举措也将提高卫生保健设施的使用率。贡献：研究中已确定大都市的卫生服务利用不足，必须由各个部门的卫生管理人员解决。可达性相对较好，但可以进一步提高，特别是对于老年人，以便能够轻松利用医疗保健服务。
