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Perceptions of cataracts and cataract services of elderly persons in Mathangwane, Botswana
Background: Cataract is the leading cause of blindness globally. In Botswana about 60% of blindness is due to cataract. Health services in Botswana are free, as are cataract services. Despite the free health services offered, the Batswana do not fully utilize the available eye care services especial...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Division of Nursing and Midwifery
2017
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| _version_ | 1867613198568390656 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Ndlovu, Keeleditse |
| author2 | Kyriacos, Una |
| author_browse | Kyriacos, Una Ndlovu, Keeleditse |
| author_facet | Kyriacos, Una Ndlovu, Keeleditse |
| author_sort | Ndlovu, Keeleditse |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Background: Cataract is the leading cause of blindness globally. In Botswana about 60% of blindness is due to cataract. Health services in Botswana are free, as are cataract services. Despite the free health services offered, the Batswana do not fully utilize the available eye care services especially the cataract services. Many Batswana access health care in public hospitals, where patients may have to wait for long periods for clinic appointments and surgery. Research question: What are the perceptions that elderly persons in Mathangwane village in Botswana, have of cataracts and cataracts services? Aim: To explore and describe the perceptions of elderly persons in Mathangwane about cataracts and cataract services. Objectives: 1. Explore and describe elderly persons' perceptions of cataracts; 2. Explore and describe elderly persons' perceptions of cataract services; 3. Explore reasons for use and non-use of current cataract services. Methods: Qualitative exploratory descriptive methods were used. A qualitative study design with purposeful sampling was used to identify participants for interviews and focus group discussion. Semi-structured interviews with seven participants aged sixty-five years and older with diagnosed cataract as well as a focus group with six of the seven participants were conducted. Data was analysed using a content analysis approach. Results: Five themes emerged from the interviews and a focus group discussion: i. Cataract as the 'spider web'; ii. Curing cataract with traditional herbs; iii. Cataract a problem of the elderly caused by modem food; iv. The burden of cataract blindness: 'mealie on the fire'; v. The ambivalent voice of elderly persons about cataract services. Conclusion: Findings from this study show that the participants had a general understanding of what cataract is and they had a particular description for this. Both positive and negative feelings were expressed in relation to the services available. Although cataract surgery was perceived to restore vision a major concern of the elderly persons was in relation to delays they experienced while waiting for the cataract to fully mature. Despite the free services offered at community level there is a great need for affordable and accessible transportation services for elderly persons utilising the cataract services. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/26621 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:32:20.328Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publishDateRange | 2017 |
| publishDateSort | 2017 |
| publisher | Division of Nursing and Midwifery |
| publisherStr | Division of Nursing and Midwifery |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/26621 Perceptions of cataracts and cataract services of elderly persons in Mathangwane, Botswana Ndlovu, Keeleditse Kyriacos, Una Mayers, Pat Nursing Background: Cataract is the leading cause of blindness globally. In Botswana about 60% of blindness is due to cataract. Health services in Botswana are free, as are cataract services. Despite the free health services offered, the Batswana do not fully utilize the available eye care services especially the cataract services. Many Batswana access health care in public hospitals, where patients may have to wait for long periods for clinic appointments and surgery. Research question: What are the perceptions that elderly persons in Mathangwane village in Botswana, have of cataracts and cataracts services? Aim: To explore and describe the perceptions of elderly persons in Mathangwane about cataracts and cataract services. Objectives: 1. Explore and describe elderly persons' perceptions of cataracts; 2. Explore and describe elderly persons' perceptions of cataract services; 3. Explore reasons for use and non-use of current cataract services. Methods: Qualitative exploratory descriptive methods were used. A qualitative study design with purposeful sampling was used to identify participants for interviews and focus group discussion. Semi-structured interviews with seven participants aged sixty-five years and older with diagnosed cataract as well as a focus group with six of the seven participants were conducted. Data was analysed using a content analysis approach. Results: Five themes emerged from the interviews and a focus group discussion: i. Cataract as the 'spider web'; ii. Curing cataract with traditional herbs; iii. Cataract a problem of the elderly caused by modem food; iv. The burden of cataract blindness: 'mealie on the fire'; v. The ambivalent voice of elderly persons about cataract services. Conclusion: Findings from this study show that the participants had a general understanding of what cataract is and they had a particular description for this. Both positive and negative feelings were expressed in relation to the services available. Although cataract surgery was perceived to restore vision a major concern of the elderly persons was in relation to delays they experienced while waiting for the cataract to fully mature. Despite the free services offered at community level there is a great need for affordable and accessible transportation services for elderly persons utilising the cataract services. 2017-12-14T09:32:40Z 2017-12-14T09:32:40Z 2008 Master Thesis Masters MSc (Med) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26621 eng application/pdf Division of Nursing and Midwifery Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Nursing Ndlovu, Keeleditse Perceptions of cataracts and cataract services of elderly persons in Mathangwane, Botswana |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Perceptions of cataracts and cataract services of elderly persons in Mathangwane, Botswana |
| title_full | Perceptions of cataracts and cataract services of elderly persons in Mathangwane, Botswana |
| title_fullStr | Perceptions of cataracts and cataract services of elderly persons in Mathangwane, Botswana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perceptions of cataracts and cataract services of elderly persons in Mathangwane, Botswana |
| title_short | Perceptions of cataracts and cataract services of elderly persons in Mathangwane, Botswana |
| title_sort | perceptions of cataracts and cataract services of elderly persons in mathangwane botswana |
| topic | Nursing |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26621 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ndlovukeeleditse perceptionsofcataractsandcataractservicesofelderlypersonsinmathangwanebotswana |