Traditional Eye Care Practices and its Determinants Factors Among Ophthalmic Patients in the West Bank رسالة ماجستير

Abstract

Background: Traditional eye medicine (TEM) is becoming more widely used across the world. Depending on the drugs used, TEM usage can be considered as harmful or innocuous. Instillation of plant or animal mixtures into the eyeballs is one example. The therapy may induce infection or irreparable blindness in the already injured eye. The majority of prior investigations linked TEM usage to poor visual outcomes in the eye. These issues may make blindness more difficult to bear. The results of the study will be used to educate and teach eye care professionals on the impacts of traditional eye treatment. It will aid authorities in bringing traditional medicine (TM) and the west bank health system together. Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the proportion of traditional eye care practices and associated factors among adult ophthalmic patients attending ophthalmic clinics in the governmental hospitals in the West Bank. Methods: The study design used is quantitative cross sectional. The researcher employed convenient sampling. A total of three hundred patients participated in the study, every patient coming to the clinic was considered until the sample size of 300 was reached. The data was collected using a structured self - administered questionnaire as a tool. The demographic characteristics included age, gender, the level of education, distance between health facility and home. Results: the results of the study revealed that 65.7 % of people use TEM. The most symptoms necessitated the use of Traditional eye practice was Inflammatory symptoms of the eye (49.2%), blurred vision (15.7%), and allergic conjunctivitis (10.7%). The most common TEM used was tea (34.0%), followed by herbal products (25.4%) and vegetable slices (potato, cucumber, onion) (14.7%). The most traditional eye treatment VI was used by Topical route (92.9%). The majority of prescriber of traditional eye practice was traditional healer (48.7%). Furthermore, the current study found that age, educational level, and residence were predictors of using traditional eye practice among ophthalmic patients attending ophthalmic clinics in selected West Bank hospitals. Conclusion The proportion of traditional eye medicine practice was high at 65.7% in the past two years in the West Bank. The predictors of using traditional eye treatment were age, educational level, and resident area. The most common TEM used was tea (34.0%), followed by herbal products (25.4%) and vegetable slices (potato, cucumber, onion) (14.7%).