Assessing the Value of Preventive Medical Care in Ghana

Abstract

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in Ghana.  At Emmanuel Eye Centre in Accra, Ghana, a large portion of glaucoma patients is not receiving glaucoma treatment until the disease has progressed to an advanced stage.  To identify possible barriers between glaucoma patients and vision care, patients who arrived at the clinic with both early and late stages of glaucoma were selected for semi-structured interviews.  This IRB approved study had three targets: knowledge of what glaucoma is, perception of the need for eye care before treatment, and specific barriers to glaucoma care.  The responses were thematically analyzed in terms of these three categories for 49 patients.  The findings suggest that the “invisibility” of early stage glaucoma is a significant barrier to care.  Rather than a lack of funds, patients did not see the value in seeking preventive vision care.