An Approach towards inclusive eye health tailored screening to compare the frequency of ocularproblems of people living in residential colonies and homeless communities in Lahore
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71395/ijhp.1.4.2024.8-13Abstract
Background and Objectives: Despite being a vital part of general health, eye health is frequently disregarded, especially among underprivileged groups. Millions of people are suffering around the world from impairments of vision that dramatically lower the quality of their lives and heavily curtail the capacity to take part fully in social and economic activities. To find the prevalence of the most common eye problem in homeless communities and people living in their own houses.
METHODOLOGY: Cross-Sectional study was conducted after the approval of the ethical review board of the College of Ophthalmology and Allied Vision Sciences (COAVS) Lahore. The study took place in Lahore. The study's sample size was 290. Individuals that were included experiencing homelessness, as defined by the study's operational definition, include those lacking a stable nighttime residence and residing in shelters, on the streets, or in temporary accommodations. Individuals who were excluded who are unable to be examined (i.e. with severe trauma or injury) and with some seductive drugs and who are not considered homeless according to the study's operational definition. Personal data was kept private. Data were collected using a self-designed proforma and entered SPSS version 26 for analysis. p-value under 0.05 was considered significant.
RESULTS: The study examined 289 participants, including 139 homeless individuals and 150 residential colony residents, with an average age of 23.62 years (SD = 18.843. A significant association was found between living
conditions and ocular problems (χ²(11, N = 289) = 80.709, p < .001).
CONCLUSION: The study emphasizes the need for targeted interventions and inclusive policies to address disparities in eye health among homeless individuals and residential colonies in Lahore.
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