The prevalence of refractive error in three communities of Cape Town, South Africa

The prevalence, distribution and demographic associations of refractive error in three communities in Cape Town, South Africa were assessed. In this cross-sectional study, a clustered random sampling procedure was used to recruit participants (n=176; age=40.6±14.7 years; males=76, females=96) from Khayelitsha, Milnerton, and Mitchell’s Plain. From March to May 2010, participants underwent autore-fraction and subjective refraction eye examinations.A structured interview was used to collect data on sociodemographics, age, gender, level of education, employment and race. Participants younger than 15 years, non-residents, or residents for less than six months, who declined signing the informed consent forms were excluded from the study. In this study myopia was defined as the spherical equivalent value in the better eye of −1.00D or worse and hyperopia as the spherical equivalent value in the better eye of ≥1.00D. Astigmatism was defined as −0.50 cylinder or worse in the better eye. The prevalence of myopia was 17.4% with a 90% confidence interval (CI) of 12.65-22.15, hyperopia was 13.4% (90% CI 9.13-17.67), and astigmatism was 60% (90% CI 53.86-66.14). Myopia was found to be significantly associated with race and age; while hyperopia was significantly associated with age, employment and race. The results of this study may assist in planning for eye care on district level. (S Afr Optom 2012 71(1) 32-38)

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Vitamin D status in adult patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer in Cape Town, South Africa: a cross-sectional study

International Journal of Dermatology ◽

10.1111/ijd.14068 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 57 (8) ◽

pp. 922-927

Author(s):

Linda van Deventer ◽

Susanna M.H. Kannenberg ◽

Jacques du Toit

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Skin Cancer ◽

Cape Town ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer ◽

Adult Patients ◽

Vitamin D Status ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

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Feasibility, Yield, and Cost of Active Tuberculosis Case Finding Linked to a Mobile HIV Service in Cape Town, South Africa: A Cross-sectional Study

PLoS Medicine ◽

10.1371/journal.pmed.1001281 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. e1001281 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Katharina Kranzer ◽

Stephen D. Lawn ◽

Gesine Meyer-Rath ◽

Anna Vassall ◽

Eudoxia Raditlhalo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Cape Town ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Case Finding ◽

Active Tuberculosis ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Tuberculosis Case ◽

Cross Sectional

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Diarrhoea among Children Aged under Five Years and Risk Factors in Informal Settlements: A Cross-Sectional Study in Cape Town, South Africa

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18116043 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 6043

Author(s):

Thi Yen Chi Nguyen ◽

Bamidele Oladapo Fagbayigbo ◽

Guéladio Cissé ◽

Nesre Redi ◽

Samuel Fuhrimann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

South Africa ◽

Water Storage ◽

Cape Town ◽

Informal Settlements ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Hand Washing ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Under Five

Background: There is limited data on the association between diarrhoea among children aged under five years (U5D) and water use, sanitation, hygiene, and socio-economics factors in low-income communities. The study investigated U5D and the associated risk factors in the Zeekoe catchment in Cape Town, South Africa. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 707 households in six informal settlements (IS) two formal settlements (FS) (March–June 2017). Results: Most IS households used public taps (74.4%) and shared toilets (93.0%), while FS households used piped water on premises (89.6%) and private toilets (98.3%). IS respondents had higher average hand-washing scores than those of FS (0.04 vs. −0.14, p = 0.02). The overall U5D prevalence was 15.3% (range: 8.6%–24.2%) and was higher in FS than in IS (21.2% vs. 13.4%, respectively, p = 0.01). Water storage >12 h was associated with increasing U5D (OR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.00–3.55, p = 0.05). Water treatment (OR = 0.57, 95%CI 0.34–0.97, p = 0.04), good hand-washing practices (OR = 0.59, 95%CI 0.42–0.82, p = 0.002) and Hepatitis A vaccination (OR = 0.51, 95%CI 0.28–0.9, p = 0.02) had significant preventing effects on U5D. Conclusions: The study highlights that good hygiene practice is a key intervention against U5D in informal settlements. The promotion of hand-washing, proper water storage, and hygienic breastfeeding is highly recommended.

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Refraction in Preschool Children in Kazanlak, Bulgaria

Folia Medica ◽

10.3897/folmed.62.e47463 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 62 (2) ◽

pp. 345-351

Author(s):

Kiril Slaveykov ◽

Kalina Trifonova

Keyword(s):

Preschool Children ◽

Refractive Error ◽

Axial Length ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Spherical Equivalent ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Refractive State ◽

Myopic Shift ◽

The City

Introduction: The refractive state of the eye changes as the eye’s axial length increases and the cornea and lens flatten. In general, eyes are hyperopic at birth, become slightly more hyperopic until the age of 7, which at this point we see a myopic shift toward plano until the eyes reach their adult dimensions, usually by about the age 16. Aim: To determine the prevalence of refractive error in preschool children aged 3 - 6 in the city of Kazanlak, Bulgaria. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a kindergarten based school within the city of Kazanlak, Bulgaria. Out of 15 kindergarten schools, 10 chose to participate in the study. The children underwent non-mydriatic refraction screening using a Plus-Optix S12с mobile camera. Myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism were defined as being a spherical equivalent (SE) ≤ −0.50 D, SE ≥ +2.00 D and cylindrical diopters ≤ −1.00 D. Results: A total of 596 children were screened. Out of these 596 children; 526 were with ametropia (470 hypermetropia, 46 myopia) and 50 had astigmatism. Strabismus was found in 12 children, with a further 8 children suffering from amblyopia and finally 8 children were also found to be diagnosed with anisometropia. In 8 cases there were no results due to opacities or due to the small size of the pupil. Conclusion: The prevalence of refractive error in preschool children is similar to that found in other research in the field. While most cases fall into the category of emmetropia or mild hypermetropia, most of the children had never been to an ophthalmologist. A mandatory checkup should be issued for all children below the age of seven.

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