Compliance of Spectacles among Schools Children in Urban Slums of Pakistan

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to investigate compliance with spectacles wear and reasons for non-compliance with spectacle wear among school-aged children in urban areas in Pakistan.

Study design: Cross-sectional quantitative survey.

Duration and Settings of Study: The study was carried out in selected schools where schools screening project were supported by Sight Savers International (SSI), an International non-government organization. Spectacles were dispensed to children with uncorrected refractive errors free of cost. A list of schools, where screening was conducted from June 2014 to May 2015, was obtained from the project database.

Methods: In this study, 117 schools were randomly selected from the database of schools screening project supported by SSl. Out of 2245 potential participants for the study, 1525 children participated. A pre-designed validated questionnaire was used to assess compliance with spectacles and reasons for non-compliance. Descriptive statistics were used to investigate compliance with spectacles. Factors associated with compliance and reasons for noncompliance were evaluated. Chi-square test for independence was applied to assess the significance of differences.

Results: Compliance with spectacles was 56.9 %. Compliance was significantly associated with gender (p=0.000). It was also associated with school type and age but relationship was not statistically significant. Factors associated with non-compliance with spectacles wear include breakage, spectacles loss, poor financial conditions, cosmetic reasons, social stigma and inappropriate corrections.

Conclusions: The compliance of spectacles is low amongst children in urban slums of Pakistan. School screening programs need to devise a robust follow-up mechanism within school screening programs to improve the compliance with spectacles.