PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
OBJECTIVE: To explore the barriers to the uptake of eye care services in urban and rural communities in Papua New Guinea.
METHODS: This was a population-based cross-sectional descriptive study and involved multi-stage sampling. Communities were randomly selected from each of the three clusters of Madang District for free eye care outreaches from June to September 2022. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the outreach patients. The study excluded attendees who refused to consent. Responses were rated from 1 (not a barrier) to 10 (a very strong barrier). The p-value significance was set at ≤ 0.05.
RESULTS: The majority of the 972 participants (60.2%) were from rural communities. The mean age of participants was 40.82 ± 13.14 years. Almost two-thirds of the participants (61.4%) never had an eye examination before this study was conducted. All the participants reported that time constraint, insufficient income, good vision in the fellow eye, not considering their eye conditions as serious issues and cultural beliefs were personal barriers to accessing eye care services. Provider-related challenges included long waiting periods at eye clinics and fear of procedure complications. There were differences in barriers with respect to the participants\' demographic clusters.
CONCLUSIONS: There are major personal- and service-related barriers to eye care services in Madang. These barriers could be overcome through strategic human resource development, health education, school screening programs, and establishing eye care centres in the communities to improve the uptake of eye care services in Madang and more widely across the country.
METHODS: This was a population-based cross-sectional descriptive study and involved multi-stage sampling. Communities were randomly selected from each of the three clusters of Madang District for free eye care outreaches from June to September 2022. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the outreach patients. The study excluded attendees who refused to consent. Responses were rated from 1 (not a barrier) to 10 (a very strong barrier). The p-value significance was set at ≤ 0.05.
RESULTS: The majority of the 972 participants (60.2%) were from rural communities. The mean age of participants was 40.82 ± 13.14 years. Almost two-thirds of the participants (61.4%) never had an eye examination before this study was conducted. All the participants reported that time constraint, insufficient income, good vision in the fellow eye, not considering their eye conditions as serious issues and cultural beliefs were personal barriers to accessing eye care services. Provider-related challenges included long waiting periods at eye clinics and fear of procedure complications. There were differences in barriers with respect to the participants\' demographic clusters.
CONCLUSIONS: There are major personal- and service-related barriers to eye care services in Madang. These barriers could be overcome through strategic human resource development, health education, school screening programs, and establishing eye care centres in the communities to improve the uptake of eye care services in Madang and more widely across the country.
摘要：
目的：探讨巴布亚新几内亚城市和农村社区开展眼部护理服务的障碍。
方法：这是一项基于人群的横断面描述性研究，涉及多阶段抽样。从2022年6月至9月，从马当区的三个集群中随机选择社区进行免费的眼部护理。使用结构化问卷从外展患者收集数据。该研究排除了拒绝同意的参与者。反应从1（不是屏障）到10（非常强的屏障）。P值显著性设定为≤0.05。
结果：972名参与者中的大多数（60.2%）来自农村社区。参与者的平均年龄为40.82±13.14岁。几乎三分之二的参与者（61.4％）在进行这项研究之前从未进行过眼科检查。所有参与者都报告了时间限制，收入不足,在同伴眼中的良好视力，不将他们的眼睛状况视为严重的问题，文化信仰是获得眼睛保健服务的个人障碍。与提供者相关的挑战包括在眼科诊所的长时间等待和对手术并发症的恐惧。参与者的人口统计集群在障碍方面存在差异。
结论：马当眼科护理服务存在主要的个人和服务相关障碍。这些障碍可以通过战略性人力资源开发来克服，健康教育,学校筛选计划，并在社区建立眼保健中心，以改善马当和全国更广泛的眼保健服务。
方法：这是一项基于人群的横断面描述性研究，涉及多阶段抽样。从2022年6月至9月，从马当区的三个集群中随机选择社区进行免费的眼部护理。使用结构化问卷从外展患者收集数据。该研究排除了拒绝同意的参与者。反应从1（不是屏障）到10（非常强的屏障）。P值显著性设定为≤0.05。
结果：972名参与者中的大多数（60.2%）来自农村社区。参与者的平均年龄为40.82±13.14岁。几乎三分之二的参与者（61.4％）在进行这项研究之前从未进行过眼科检查。所有参与者都报告了时间限制，收入不足,在同伴眼中的良好视力，不将他们的眼睛状况视为严重的问题，文化信仰是获得眼睛保健服务的个人障碍。与提供者相关的挑战包括在眼科诊所的长时间等待和对手术并发症的恐惧。参与者的人口统计集群在障碍方面存在差异。
结论：马当眼科护理服务存在主要的个人和服务相关障碍。这些障碍可以通过战略性人力资源开发来克服，健康教育,学校筛选计划，并在社区建立眼保健中心，以改善马当和全国更广泛的眼保健服务。
