Abstract
Purpose :
To determine the cost and quality of life impact due to glaucoma in Tanzania, East Africa.
Methods :
An expert panel of eye health professionals was convened to agree current glaucoma practice in Tanzania. In addition, a structured patient survey was developed and administered. Supplemental cost and quality of life information was collected using cost questionnaires and validated quality of life measures, including the EQ5D and VFQ-25. Participants were drawn from both urban and rural parts of Tanzania attending a private specialist glaucoma clinic in the capital Dar Es Salaam.
Results :
Non-adherence with any form of glaucoma treatment, be it medical or surgical was a major obstacle, especially in rural settings where over 50% of the patients failed to return for review and follow up. While medical therapy is overwhelmingly the first line treatment, the cost of maintaining this represents up to 25% of a patient’s income. There is a deleterious impact of glaucoma on patient’s general well-being as determined by the EQ-5D and more tellingly on visual function. Forty percent (40%) of participants experienced either moderate or extreme impact on their overall quality of life as measured by the EQ-5D and there was a particularly negative impact on role limitations as determined by the VFQ-25 with a mean value of 52 (SD=32). Despite our sample being taken from a private clinic and thus containing a much larger proportion of professionals than the general population, some 33% of this population earned less than TzS 170,000 (< US$ 75) per month, which is well below the minimum living wage.
Conclusions :
These findings are of great importance for eye health planners seeking to determine cost-effective and acceptable methods for identifying and treating this major cause of preventable blindness.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.