Health Policy and Planning, Vol 14, 77-81, Copyright © 1999 by Oxford University Press
J Whitworth, H Pickering, F Mulwanyi, A Ruberantwari, P Dolin and G Johnson
Purpose. To identify the reasons for subjects deciding
to attend or not attend local and referral ophthalmology clinics in
south-west Uganda, and to establish the levels of satisfaction of clinic
attenders with the services they received.Methods. A
population survey identified subjects with ocular conditions who were
referred to the local clinic or the district hospital. All non-attenders
and a group of attenders were interviewed at home.Results.
31% of those referred did not attend the local clinic. The most
common reasons were 'too busy' (29%) or 'unwilling to buy spectacles'
(17%). Less than half of attenders were satisfied, mainly because of no
perceived clinical improvement of having to buy spectacles. Only 13% of
those referred to the district hospital clinic attended. The main reasons
for non-attendance were high transport cost and fear of the
clinic.Conclusion. Attendance and satisfaction with
the community ophthalmology service could be improved by more intensive
motivation and explanation for patients, and assistance with spectacle and
transport costs. The use of aphakic motivators should be tested in this
context.
ARTICLES
Research report. Determinants of attendance and patient satisfaction at eye clinics in south-western Uganda
Medical Research Programme on AIDS, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda; Masaka District Referral Hospital, Masaka, Uganda; Institute of Ophthalmology, University College, London, UK
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  S M Mbulaiteye, B C Reeves, F Mulwanyi, J A G Whitworth, and G Johnson Incidence of visual loss in rural southwest Uganda Br J Ophthalmol, July 1, 2003; 87(7): 829 - 833. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|