Biomaterial Database

Test of the prevention of blindness health education programme for Ethiopian primary schools. 1988

G De Sole, and E Martel

Trachoma is a major cause of blindness in Ethiopia and is widespread throughout the country. No health education for blindness prevention is conducted in schools even though 62% of the eligible children attend primary school. Because of the low cost and potential benefit of such a strategy, we developed a programme of health education for eye infections targeted to primary schools and tested it in the rural town of Metahara. Students were given examinations before and after the programme. Their knowledge improved from a mean score of 4.3/9 to 6.2/9 (p less than 0.005). The prevalence of moderate and severe Trachoma decreased from 12.1% to 3.3% (p less than 0.001) in one year, and the prevalence of conjunctivitis from 7.5% to 0.4% (p less than 0.001). Health education for the prevention of blindness in primary schools should be a priority in Ethiopia and yearly eye examinations of school children by local health staff should be reinstated.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007239	Infections	Invasion of the host organism by microorganisms or their toxins or by parasites that can cause pathological conditions or diseases.	Infection,Infection and Infestation,Infections and Infestations,Infestation and Infection,Infestations and Infections
D009313	National Health Programs	Components of a national health care system which administer specific services, e.g., national health insurance.	National Health Insurance, Non-U.S.,Health Services, National,National Health Insurance,National Health Insurance, Non U.S.,National Health Services,Services, National Health,Health Insurance, National,Health Program, National,Health Programs, National,Health Service, National,Insurance, National Health,National Health Program,National Health Service,Program, National Health,Programs, National Health,Service, National Health
D001766	Blindness	The inability to see or the loss or absence of perception of visual stimuli. This condition may be the result of EYE DISEASES; OPTIC NERVE DISEASES; OPTIC CHIASM diseases; or BRAIN DISEASES affecting the VISUAL PATHWAYS or OCCIPITAL LOBE.	Amaurosis,Bilateral Blindness,Blindness, Bilateral,Blindness, Legal,Blindness, Monocular,Blindness, Unilateral,Sudden Visual Loss,Unilateral Blindness,Blindness, Acquired,Blindness, Complete,Blindness, Hysterical,Blindness, Transient,Acquired Blindness,Amauroses,Bilateral Blindnesses,Complete Blindness,Hysterical Blindness,Legal Blindness,Monocular Blindness,Sudden Visual Losses,Transient Blindness,Visual Loss, Sudden
D003231	Conjunctivitis	INFLAMMATION of the CONJUNCTIVA.	Pink Eye,Conjunctivitides,Pink Eyes
D005002	Ethiopia	An independent state in eastern Africa. Ethiopia is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered on the north and northeast by Eritrea, on the east by Djibouti and Somalia, on the south by Kenya, and on the west and southwest by Sudan. Its capital is Addis Ababa.	Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
D005128	Eye Diseases	Diseases affecting the eye.	Eye Disorders,Eye Disease,Eye Disorder
D006266	Health Education	Education that increases the awareness and favorably influences the attitudes and knowledge relating to the improvement of health on a personal or community basis.	Community Health Education,Education, Health,Education, Community Health,Health Education, Community
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012574	Schools	Educational institutions.	Primary Schools,Schools, Secondary,Secondary Schools,Primary School,School,School, Primary,School, Secondary,Schools, Primary,Secondary School
D014141	Trachoma	A chronic infection of the CONJUNCTIVA and CORNEA caused by CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS.	Egyptian Ophthalmia,Ophthalmia, Egyptian,Trachomas