Sociodemographic characteristics of glaucoma patients in Abuja (a case control study)

Abstract

Aim: The study aims to describe the sociodemographic characteristics of glaucoma patient, in order to understand the impact of glaucoma on the  patients’ sociodemographic profile.

Materials and Methods: A case control study carried out among 106 POAG patients and an equal number of age-sex matched controls i.e., non POAG patients that have no vision impairing ocular disorder other than presbyopia, attending Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja and Eye Foundation Hospital  Abuja from November 2012 to April 2013. Data was analyzed using SPSS Version 20 using Chi square test, independent t test and Analysis of Variance  (ANOVA).

Results: A total of 212 participants were enrolled into the study, they had ages that ranged from 40 to 88 with a mean age of 55.2 among the  cases and 55.24 among the controls. The main sociodemographic profile that showed a statistically significant difference was the employment status as  14 of the 17 i.e., 82.35% of those unemployed and 27 of the 47 i.e., 57.44% of the retirees were glaucoma participants. There was a 5.95 greater odds of  glaucoma patients to be unemployed. There was a 4.27 times greater odds of those with severe glaucoma to be unemployed and retired. There was a  4.31 times greater odds of those older than 60 to have severe glaucoma. Majority of the glaucoma participants and those with severe disease were  Igbo’s.

Conclusion: There is a clear need for an increased social support to help glaucoma patients cope with the disease.