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Title: | Prevalence of Refractive Errors among Junior High School Students in the Ejisu Juaben Municipality Of Ghana |
Authors: | Nakua, Emmanuel Kweku Otupiri, Eason Owusu-Dabo, Ellis Dzomeku, Veronica Millicent Otu-Danquah, K. Anderson, M. |
Keywords: | Prevalence Refractive errors Students Visual impairment Ejisu-Juaben Municipality |
Issue Date: | 2015 |
Publisher: | Journal of Science and Technology |
Citation: | Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 35, No. 1 (2015), pp.52-62 |
Abstract: | Among school children, uncorrected refractive errors have a considerable impact on their participation
and learning in class. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of refractive
error among students in the Ejisu-Juabeng Municipality of Ghana. A survey with multi-stage
sampling was undertaken. We interviewed 504 students aged 12-17 years and examined them for
refractive errors. The prevalence of refractive errors among those with and without refractive
error was compared by means of the chi-square test. Logistic regression analysis using refractive
error as the dependent variable and adjusting for risk factors were performed. The overall prevalence
rate of refractive errors was 7.5%. Out of the number of children with refractive errors,
39.5% had astigmatism, 31.6% had hyperopia and 28.9% had myopia. The prevalence rate was
significantly higher among urban compared with rural students. Astigmatic refractive errors
consists of with–the–rule (WTR) astigmatism 66.7%, against–the–rule (ATR) astigmatism 26.7%
and oblique astigmatism (OBL) 6.6%. WTR and ATR astigmatism were more common in females
than males. Multivariate logistic regression models showed no substantial confounding
effects between near work, sex, and residence, suggesting that each covariate has an independent
association with refractive error. In conclusion, near work, sex and high parental education
level are factors contributing to refractive errors. Children in urban areas are at higher risk
compared with their rural counterparts. We suggest that an efficient pre-school vision examination
must be made part of the admission policy of all schools in Ghana. |
Description: | An article published in Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 35, No. 1 (2015), pp52-62; Available at;http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/just.v35i1.5 |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/13462 |
Appears in Collections: | College of Health Sciences
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