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Prevalence of trachoma in a single community, 1975–2007
Author(s) -
Taylor Hugh R,
English Dallas R,
Field Barry A,
Spicer Paul E,
Graham Doris M
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
clinical and experimental ophthalmology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.3
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1442-9071
pISSN - 1442-6404
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-9071.2011.02672.x
Subject(s) - trachoma , medicine , public health , environmental health , pediatrics , demography , pathology , sociology
A bstract Background: To determine the change in the prevalence in active trachoma in children in a remote Aboriginal community over a 32‐year period. Design: Data used from two cross‐sectional studies repeated in the same community 32 years apart. Participants or Samples: Children aged 5–13 years living in the community. Methods: Thirty‐five mm photographs of the everted upper lid taken in 1975 and digital photographs taken in 2007 were graded using a fine trachoma‐grading scheme. Main Outcome Measure: The age‐specific prevalence and severity of trachoma was compared at the two time points. Results: Images were available from 82 children in 1975 and from 92 children in 2007. The overall prevalence of active trachoma (trachomatous inflammation follicular and or trachomatous inflammation intense) was 59% in 1975 and in 2007 was significantly lower at 23% ( P < 0.001). The overall severity grades of active trachoma had also decreased significantly for each sign from 1975 to 2007 (all P values from the rank‐sum test were less than 0.001). However, in 2007, there were still some children with severe active trachoma and severe scarring still occurred. Conclusion: Although the prevalence and severity of active trachoma in children have decreased significantly over the last 30 years in this community, trachoma still remains a significant public health problem. One third of the children have active trachoma, a figure in excess of the threshold set as a public health problem by the World Health Organization.