Determinants of traditional eye practices amongst rural dwellers in the Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District, Ghana

Abstract

Background: In Ghana and other developing countries, people resort to other means of eye care apart from the orthodox treatment given by eye care practitioners.

Aim: This study aimed to examine the determinants of traditional eye practices amongst a sample in the Central Region of Ghana.

Setting: The study employed a mixed-method convergent parallel study design and adapted the Expanded Programme on Immunization Survey Technique to enrol 191 residents.

Methods: A questionnaire and an interview were used to obtain data from the participants. Descriptive statistics were computed along with univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine associated factors for the use of traditional eye medication (TEM), ophthalmic self-medication and its combination.

Results: The study included 191 participants with an age range of 18–79 years. The odds of TEM use were 2.3 times higher in male than female participants (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.307, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.219, 4.364, p = 0.01). Other socio-demographic characteristics (age, marital status, occupation and educational status) were not associated with traditional eye practices. The p-value in all these was p > 0.05 during the univariant analysis, but age was independently significant during the multivariant statistic (p = 0.041).

Conclusion: Gender and age were significantly associated with TEM use. Public education on TEM and ophthalmic self-medication and its consequences should be organised, targeting the natives in the rural communities, by the Ghana Health Service.