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Abstract #73164 Published in IGR 18-4
Optimizing Glaucoma Screening in High-Risk Population: Design and 1-Year Findings of the Screening to Prevent (SToP) Glaucoma Study
Zhao D; Guallar E; Gajwani P; Swenor B; Crews J; Saaddine J; Mudie L; Varadaraj V; Friedman DS;American Journal of Ophthalmology 2017; 180: 18-28
See also comment(s) by Rupert Bourne •
PURPOSE: To develop, implement, and evaluate a replicable community-based screening intervention designed to improve glaucoma and other eye disease detection and follow-up care in high-risk populations in the United States. We present the design of the study and describe the findings of the first year of the program. DESIGN: Prospective study to evaluate screening and follow-up. METHODS: This is an ongoing study to develop an eye screening program using trained personnel to identify individuals with ophthalmic needs, focusing on African Americans ≥50 years of age at multiple inner-city community sites in Baltimore, Maryland. The screening examination uses a sequential referral approach and assesses presenting visual acuity (VA), best-corrected VA, digital fundus imaging, visual field testing, and measurement of intraocular pressure. RESULTS: We screened 901 individuals between January 2015 and October 2015. Subjects were mostly African Americans (94.9%) with a mean (standard deviation) age of 64.3 (9.9) years. Among them, 356 (39.5%) participants were referred for a definitive eye examination and 107 (11.9%) only needed prescription glasses. The most common reasons for referral were ungradable fundus image (39.3% of those referred), best-corrected VA < 20/40 (14.6%), and ungradable autorefraction (11.8%). Among people referred for definitive examination, 153 (43%) people attended their scheduled examination. The most common diagnoses at the definitive examination were glaucoma and cataract (51% and 40%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of individuals screened required ophthalmic services, particularly those who were older and less well educated. To reach and encourage these individuals to attend screenings and follow-up examinations, programs could develop innovative strategies and approaches.
Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology, The Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine, and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.
Full articleClassification:
1.6 Prevention and screening (Part of: 1 General aspects)
