Glaucoma Prevalence, Treatment and Prevention Among Elderly in Edo Specialist Hospital, Benin City, Edo State

Abstract

Investigating the prevalence of glaucoma, evaluating treatment adherence, assessing prevention awareness and knowledge, and examining the obstacles to successful treatment and prevention among the elderly in Edo State are the objectives of this study. The study used a descriptive cross-sectional design and included 190 older people (60 years of age and older) in its sample, chosen by simple random sampling. The Edo Specialist Hospital in Edo State was the source of the participants. In order to gather information on demographics, glaucoma awareness, treatment adherence, and perceived treatment hurdles, a structured questionnaire was used. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, and tables to summarize findings. The results indicated a 23.7% prevalence rate of glaucoma among the elderly, with the highest prevalence found in the 70-79 age group. In terms of treatment adherence, 57.8% of participants showed high adherence, with surgical treatments yielding the highest adherence rate at 70%. Awareness regarding glaucoma prevention was moderate, with 57.9% of respondents aware that glaucoma can be prevented, although knowledge of specific preventive measures was lacking. Financial constraints (81.5%) and access to healthcare (68.4%) were identified as the most significant barriers to treatment. Based on these findings, the study recommends that the government prioritize glaucoma screening programs, healthcare providers should enhance education on prevention. These steps would help reduce the glaucoma burden among the elderly in Edo State.