Abstract
There is a paucity of reliable information on the prevalence and causes of blindness in sub-Saharan Africa, and this produces problems in designing and evaluating blindness prevention programmes. To address this problem and to provide baseline data for the evaluation of such programmes, the government of Malawi, in conjunction with a number of agencies, conducted a population-based prevalence survey of ocular disease in the Lower Shire River Valley in southern Malawi, an area where blindness is common. The prevalence of bilateral blindness found (1.27%) is similar to that in other developing countries and represents a significant public health problem. At least 60% of this blindness is preventable or easily reversible.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Ayanru J. O. Blindness in the Midwestern State of Nigeria. Trop Geogr Med. 1974 Sep;26(3):325–332. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Chirambo M. C., Tizazu T. Ocular disease and ophthalmic services in Malawi. Soc Sci Med. 1983;17(22):1773–1780. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(83)90390-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Mburu F. M., Steinkuller P. G. Ocular needs in Africa: increasing priorities and shrinking resources. Soc Sci Med. 1983;17(22):1687–1691. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(83)90378-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ross-Degnan D., Schwab L., Mburu F. M. Field methodology for ocular surveys in rural Africa. Soc Sci Med. 1983;17(22):1793–1796. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(83)90394-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Schwab L., Steinkuller P. G. Visual disability and blindness secondary to refractive errors in Africa. Soc Sci Med. 1983;17(22):1751–1754. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(83)90387-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sommer A., Katz J., Tarwotjo I. Increased risk of respiratory disease and diarrhea in children with preexisting mild vitamin A deficiency. Am J Clin Nutr. 1984 Nov;40(5):1090–1095. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/40.5.1090. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sommer A., Tarwotjo I., Hussaini G., Susanto D. Increased mortality in children with mild vitamin A deficiency. Lancet. 1983 Sep 10;2(8350):585–588. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(83)90677-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Steinkuller P. G. Cataract: the leading cause of blindness and vision loss in Africa. Soc Sci Med. 1983;17(22):1693–1702. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(83)90379-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Tizazu T., Mburu F. M. Prevalence and causes of vision loss in southern Sudan. Soc Sci Med. 1983;17(22):1785–1788. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(83)90392-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]