Age and social-related risk factors for age-related macular degeneration among patients attending eye care at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital. A cross-sectional study.

Joshua Tumwebaze; Taddeo Mulumba

doi:10.51168/tg6cze81

Authors

Joshua Tumwebaze Ophthalmic Clinical Officers’ Training School, Jinja Author
Taddeo Mulumba Ophthalmic Clinical Officers’ Training School, Jinja Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51168/tg6cze81

Keywords:

Macular Degeneration, Smoking, Irreversible blindness, Jinja Regional Referral Hospital

Abstract

Background

Age-related macular degeneration causes irreversible blindness. There are two types of Age-related Macular Degeneration, that is to say, Wet macular degeneration and Dry macular degeneration. The study aims to assess aim of the study is to assess the Age and social-related Risk factors for age-related macular Degeneration.

Methodology

A Cross-sectional descriptive study design involving quantitative methods of data collection.

The study population comprised all patients receiving eye care services for Age-related Macular Degeneration conditions at the eye unit of Jinja Regional Referral Hospital for a period of 6 months from October 2022 to March 2023. Non-probability sampling was used to select 50 participants.

Results

The majority, 29/50 (58%) respondents were females, and 21/50 (42%) were males. 39/50 (78%) of the respondents lived in Rural areas, while a lower number, 11/50 (22%), lived in Urban areas. The majority, 25/50 (50%), were between 61-70 years, followed by respondents 14/50 (28%) who were between 51-60 years, followed by respondents 2/50 (4%) who were between 41-50 years, while the least were respondents 2/50 (4%). Most 24/50(48%) strongly agreed that smoking is a risk factor for age-related Macular Degeneration. 32/50 (64%) took alcohol, while18/50 (36%) did not take alcohol.

Conclusion

The significant risk factors for Age-related Macular Degeneration were increasing age groups of 61-70 years and 51-60 years, smoking, and a low level of education.

Recommendations

The Government should sensitize people on the risk factors for age-related Macular degeneration. At the same time, the Government should set up more eye clinics to increase accessibility to eye care services.

Author Biographies

Joshua Tumwebaze, Ophthalmic Clinical Officers’ Training School, Jinja

is a student of a diploma in Clinical Ophthalmology at the Ophthalmic Clinical Officers’ Training School, Jinja.
Taddeo Mulumba, Ophthalmic Clinical Officers’ Training School, Jinja

is a tutor at the Ophthalmic Clinical Officers’ Training School in Jinja.

References

Armstrong RA and Mousavi M. (2015). Overview of Risk Factors for Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). J Stem Cells 2015; 10(3):171-91. PMID: 27125062.

Bamini Gopinath. (2016, August 10). Health + Medicine. Retrieved from The Conversation Africa: https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-age-related-macular-degeneration-59889#:~:text=The%20main%20symptom%20of%20age-related%20macular%20degeneration%20is,blind%20spots%20in%20the%20centre%20of%20their%20vision.

Deng Y, Qiao L, Du M, Qu C, Wan L, Li J, Huang L. (2022). Age-related macular degeneration: epidemiology, genetics, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and targeted therapy. Genes Dis. 2022, 9:62-79. 10.1016/j.gendis.2021.02.009 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gendis.2021.02.009

F Ryan Prall, Andrew A Dahl. (2023, August 28). Drugs and Diseases >Ophthalmology. Retrieved from Medscape: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1226030-overview?form=fpf

Pennington KL and DeAngelis MM. (2016). Epidemiology of age-related macular degeneration (AMD): Associations with Cardiovascular disease Phenotypes and lipid factors.Eye Vis 2016:3:34 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40662-016-0063-5

Wong WL, Su X, Li X, Cheung CM, Klein R, Cheng CY, et al. (2014). Global prevalence of age-related macular degeneration and disease burden projection for 2020 and 2040: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Global Health. 2014;2(2):e106-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(13)70145-1

Xiayan Xu, Jing Wu, Xiaoning, Yu Yelei, Tang Xiajing, TangandXingchaoshentu (2020). Regional differences in the Global Burden of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. BMC Public Health Volume 20, 410(2020) http://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8445-y

Ziyuan Wang, SriniVasR, Sadda, and Zhihong Hu. (2019). Deep learning for automated screening and semantic segmentation of age-related and Juvenile atrophic macular degeneration. Vol.10950 https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2511538