Socio-Economic Impacts of Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma in Rural Environment in Mali

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is an optic neuropathy that affects the patient’s quality of life. The present study aims to write the socio-economic factors influencing the management of glaucomatous patients in rural areas. This was a retrospective, descriptive cross-sectional study, carried out from October 19 to 31, 2017 in a rural town. The variables studied were age, sex, occupation, level of knowledge about the disease and its treatment, average monthly income, accessibility of eye care service, health insurance membership, degree of severity of the disease. The frequency of POAG was 5.68%. The average age of the patients was 52 years old with extremes ranging from 25 to 73 years old; the female sex was the most represented with 19 cases out of 36 or 52.77%. 66.67% of our patients were at their first ophthalmological consultations. Health insurance coverage was 2.78%. The average monthly income was 10,000 to 25,000 FCFA in 58.33%. More than half of our glaucomatous patients, 63.89%, think they are affected by their disease. 80% of patients are unaware that they have eye disease. Many lost vision in one or both eyes and were unaware of the disease affecting their eyes. Accessibility to health services and their costs seem to be a factor, in addition to illiteracy.