The cost and quality of life impact of glaucoma in Tanzania: An observational study

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 15; no. 6; p. e0232796
• Main Authors: Murdoch, Ian, Smith, Andrew F, Baker, Helen, Shilio, Bernadetha, Dhalla, Kazim, Peters, Remco PH
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Francisco Public Library of Science 01.06.2020; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Biology and Life Sciences; Blindness; Care and treatment; Cataracts; Clinics; Costs; Demographic aspects; Evaluation; Eye surgery; Glaucoma; Health care costs; Health planning; Health surveys; Hospitals; Identification methods; Medical personnel; Medical treatment; Medicine and Health Sciences; Minimum wage; Observational studies; Patient compliance; Patient outcomes; Patient satisfaction; Patients; People and Places; Population; Professional ethics; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Setting (Literature); Smith, Helen; Social Sciences; Visual perception; Workers; Tanzania; United Kingdom > UK; East Africa
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232796

To determine the cost and quality of life impact imposed by glaucoma in Tanzania, East Africa. 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. Key findings include following. Non-adherence is a major issue, especially in rural settings where over 50% of the patients may fail to return for review. Whilst medical therapy is overwhelmingly the first line treatment, the cost of maintaining this represents up to 25% of a patient's income. There is an impact of glaucoma on patients general well-being as determined by the EQ-5D and more tellingly on visual function with particular impact on role limitations as determined by the VF25. Despite our sample being taken in a private clinic and thus containing a much larger proportion of professionals than the general population, one third of the population earned Tanzanian Shillings (TZS) 170,000 per month which is below the minimum wage. These findings are of great importance for health care planners seeking to determine cost-effective, acceptable methods of both identifying and treating this major cause of preventable blindness.