Where do persons with blindness caused by cataracts in rural areas of India seek treatment and why?
S. K. Gupta and G. V. Murthy
Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
The utilization of eye care facilities by patients with a cataract was
evaluated among 240 patients selected from eye care camps that were
conducted by our center. Of the patients, 52.9% had visited previous eye
care camps, while 19.2% consulted private ophthalmologists. Easy
accessibility, reputation of a facility, competence of its staff, free
service, and nearby facilities were the major reasons that were cited by
patients for utilization of service facilities. Distance, monetary
constraints, and a lack of professional trust, escorts, and the perception
about the seriousness of their ocular condition were the main reasons that
patients were not motivated to use such service facilities. Statistically
significant differences were observed when past utilization of eye care
camps was related to age, marital status, and source of income.
