dc.contributor.author | Barasa, E | |
dc.contributor.author | Otieno, SA | |
dc.contributor.author | Karimurio, J | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2015-02-12T13:15:31Z | |
dc.date.available | 2015-02-12T13:15:31Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2013-12 | |
dc.identifier.citation | Barasa, E., Otieno, S. A., & Karimurio, J. (2015). The prevalence and pattern of visual impairment and blindness among Primary School pupils in Kitale Municipality, Kenya. JOECSA, 17(2). | en_US |
dc.identifier.uri | http://www.coecsa.org/ojs-2.4.2/index.php/JOECSA/article/view/81 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11295/80240 | |
dc.description.abstract | Objective: To investigate the prevalence and pattern of Visual Impairment(VI) and blindness among
primary school pupils in Kitale Municipality from February to March 2009.
Design: Cross-sectional school based study.
Setting: Primary Schools in Kitale Municipality, Kenya.
Subjects: Seven hundred and seventy six pupils of the age range 5-22 and mean of 10.81 years from
standard one to standard eight.
Results: The prevalence of visual impairment was 4.77% and 0% for severe visual impairment while that
of blindness was 0.13%. Girls contributed 35.14% of cases of visual impairment while boys contributed
64.86%. The age group most affected was 11-15 years (59.46%). There were higher chances of
developing VI with increasing age. Public schools contributed 81.08% of cases of visual impairment
while for private schools, it was 18.92%. Two zones (Grassland and Bidii) with peri-urban characteristics
contributed 75.68% of VI cases while two purely urban zones (Milimani and Bondeni) contributed
24.31%. The only case of blindness was due to retinal disease in a standard one female pupil aged 8
years, in a public school within Bondeni zone. The leading cause of visual impairment was refractive
error (81.08%). Other causes included albinism, corneal disease, disease of whole globe and strabismus.
Conclusions: Visual impairment and blindness among primary school pupils in Kitale municipality is of
public health importance.
Recommendations: There is need to carry out annual school eye screening by relevant ministries in
order to enhance early detection and management of eye problems among primary school pupils | en_US |
dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
dc.publisher | University of Nairobi | en_US |
dc.title | The prevalence and pattern of visual impairment and blindness among Primary School pupils in Kitale Municipality, Kenya | en_US |
dc.type.material | en_US | en_US |