Gender Differences and Financing Patterns of Cataract Operated Adult Patients Attending a Tertiary Health Facility in Northern-western Nigeria

Abstract

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide Gender and financing are important issues that need to be addressed to achieve control of the condition that is reversible by surgery. The study assesses the demographic variables, gender patterns, and financing of cataract-operated adult patients evaluated for astigmatism at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study involving 150 patients recruited as they presented to the NEC, Kaduna, with age-related operable cataracts from 3rd January 2011 to 20th November 2012 were included. The mean age of the respondents was 61.82 years ±10.68. The age group with the highest number of operable cataracts was 60-69 years(43.3%; n=65). Eighty-six(57.3%) of the subjects were males and 64(42.3%) were females with a sex ratio of 1.34: 1. There was a marginal increase in the number of females from the age of 70 years. The majority of the clients (80%; n=120) paid directly, out-of-pocket and 30 (20%) paid by the NHIS or company retainer ship. Surgery was paid for by the relatives and spouses in 38 of 64(25.4%) of the females and 12(8.3%) of the men. A review of gender trends showed a sex ratio of 2:1 in the 1960s and early 70's to an approximately equal sex ratio at the time of this study. There was a consistent narrowing gap in the gender pattern of cataract surgical services uptake. The major means of accessing surgery was by Out-Of-Pocket payment and women depended more on relations to access these services. A sustainable policy for the provision of free or subsidized cataract surgery services is recommended.