Skills of general health workers in primary eye care in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania

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dc.contributor.authorKalua, Khumboen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorGichangi, Michaelen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorBarassa, Ernesten_ZA
dc.contributor.authorEliah, Edsonen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorLewallen, Susanen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorCourtright, Paulen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-11-27T09:29:50Z
dc.date.available2015-11-27T09:29:50Z
dc.date.issued2014en_ZA
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND:Primary eye care (PEC) in sub-Saharan Africa usually means the diagnosis, treatment, and referral of eye conditions at the most basic level of the health system by primary health care workers (PHCWs), who receive minimal training in eye care as part of their curricula. We undertook this study with the aim to evaluate basic PEC knowledge and ophthalmologic skills of PHCWs, as well as the factors associated with these in selected districts in Kenya, Malawi, and Tanzania. METHODS: A standardized (26 items) questionnaire was administered to PHCWs in all primary health care (PHC) facilities of 2 districts in each country. Demographic information was collected and an examination aimed to measure competency in 5 key areas (recognition and management of advanced cataract, conjunctivitis, presbyopia, and severe trauma plus demonstrated ability to measure visual acuity) was administered. RESULTS: Three-hundred-forty-three PHCWs were enrolled (100, 107, and 136 in Tanzania, Kenya, and Malawi, respectively). The competency scores of PHCW varied by area, with 55.7%, 61.2%, 31.2%, and 66.1% scoring at the competency level in advanced cataract, conjunctivitis, presbyopia, and trauma, respectively. Only 8.2% could measure visual acuity. Combining all scores, only 9 (2.6%) demonstrated competence in all areas. CONCLUSION: The current skills of health workers in PEC are low, with a large per cent below the basic competency level. There is an urgent need to reconsider the expectations of PEC and the content of training.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationKalua, K., Gichangi, M., Barassa, E., Eliah, E., Lewallen, S., & Courtright, P. (2014). Skills of general health workers in primary eye care in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania. <i>Human Resources for Health</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15379en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationKalua, Khumbo, Michael Gichangi, Ernest Barassa, Edson Eliah, Susan Lewallen, and Paul Courtright "Skills of general health workers in primary eye care in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania." <i>Human Resources for Health</i> (2014) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15379en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationKalua, K., Gichangi, M., Barassa, E., Eliah, E., Lewallen, S., & Courtright, P. (2014). Skills of general health workers in primary eye care in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania. Human resources for health, 12(Suppl 1), S2.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Kalua, Khumbo AU - Gichangi, Michael AU - Barassa, Ernest AU - Eliah, Edson AU - Lewallen, Susan AU - Courtright, Paul AB - BACKGROUND:Primary eye care (PEC) in sub-Saharan Africa usually means the diagnosis, treatment, and referral of eye conditions at the most basic level of the health system by primary health care workers (PHCWs), who receive minimal training in eye care as part of their curricula. We undertook this study with the aim to evaluate basic PEC knowledge and ophthalmologic skills of PHCWs, as well as the factors associated with these in selected districts in Kenya, Malawi, and Tanzania. METHODS: A standardized (26 items) questionnaire was administered to PHCWs in all primary health care (PHC) facilities of 2 districts in each country. Demographic information was collected and an examination aimed to measure competency in 5 key areas (recognition and management of advanced cataract, conjunctivitis, presbyopia, and severe trauma plus demonstrated ability to measure visual acuity) was administered. RESULTS: Three-hundred-forty-three PHCWs were enrolled (100, 107, and 136 in Tanzania, Kenya, and Malawi, respectively). The competency scores of PHCW varied by area, with 55.7%, 61.2%, 31.2%, and 66.1% scoring at the competency level in advanced cataract, conjunctivitis, presbyopia, and trauma, respectively. Only 8.2% could measure visual acuity. Combining all scores, only 9 (2.6%) demonstrated competence in all areas. CONCLUSION: The current skills of health workers in PEC are low, with a large per cent below the basic competency level. There is an urgent need to reconsider the expectations of PEC and the content of training. DA - 2014 DB - OpenUCT DO - 10.1186/1478-4491-12-S1-S2 DP - University of Cape Town J1 - Human Resources for Health LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2014 T1 - Skills of general health workers in primary eye care in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania TI - Skills of general health workers in primary eye care in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15379 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/15379
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1478-4491-12-S1-S2
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationKalua K, Gichangi M, Barassa E, Eliah E, Lewallen S, Courtright P. Skills of general health workers in primary eye care in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania. Human Resources for Health. 2014; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15379.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherBioMed Central Ltden_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDivision of Ophthalmologyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.rightsThis is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licenseen_ZA
dc.rights.holder2014 Kalua et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.en_ZA
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0en_ZA
dc.sourceHuman Resources for Healthen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://www.human-resources-health.com/en_ZA
dc.subject.otherprimary eye careen_ZA
dc.subject.othercataracten_ZA
dc.subject.otherconjunctivitisen_ZA
dc.subject.otherpresbyopiaen_ZA
dc.subject.othertraumaen_ZA
dc.subject.otherblindnessen_ZA
dc.subject.othervisual acuityen_ZA
dc.subject.otherprimary health care workeren_ZA
dc.subject.otherhealth systemsen_ZA
dc.subject.otherKenyaen_ZA
dc.subject.otherMalawien_ZA
dc.subject.otherTanzaniaen_ZA
dc.titleSkills of general health workers in primary eye care in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzaniaen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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