Risk Profile of Keratoconus among Secondary School Students in the West Region of Cameroon
This study determined the risk factors of keratoconus (KC) among secondary school students in the West Region of Cameroon. A stratified, random sampling technique was used to select the 3015 secondary school students, 8 years and older, within the West Region of Cameroon. Selected school students co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Vision |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5150/7/1/2 |
| _version_ | 1797608659027492864 |
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| author | Enowntai Nkongho Ayukotang Vanessa Raquel Moodley Khathutshelo Percy Mashige |
| author_facet | Enowntai Nkongho Ayukotang Vanessa Raquel Moodley Khathutshelo Percy Mashige |
| author_sort | Enowntai Nkongho Ayukotang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study determined the risk factors of keratoconus (KC) among secondary school students in the West Region of Cameroon. A stratified, random sampling technique was used to select the 3015 secondary school students, 8 years and older, within the West Region of Cameroon. Selected school students completed the validated Keratoconus Risk Investigative Survey (KRIS) and a structured demographic questionnaire to determine the risk profile of KC. Descriptive analysis, logistic regression and <i>p</i>-values were used to provide an overview of the demographic findings and the risk factors of KC. Estimates were made as the proportion of affected school students and presented with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the association between KC and the independent predictors that were found significant in the univariate analysis. The ages of the majority (93.2%) of students ranged from eight years to 18 years (mean = 13.18 ± years) and were mostly female (59.7%). Gender (OR 2.024, <i>p</i> < 0.001), eye rubbing (OR 3.615, <i>p</i> < 0.001), exposure to sunlight (OR 2.735, <i>p</i> < 0.001), blood relations with KC (OR 41.819, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and allergic experience (OR 1.070, <i>p</i> < 0.001) were considered. Eye rubbing was the most significant risk factor of keratoconus followed by refractive error, allergic experiences and sunlight exposure. These findings support the evidence that the etiology of KC is multifactorial, with eye rubbing being the most significant factor in this cohort. There is a need to address eye rubbing among students to minimize the risk of KC. Furthermore, 34.46% of students in Cameroon were at risk of developing KC. Hence the risk profile is that one engages in eye rubbing, has a family member with KC, spends more than eight hours per week in the sun and is prone to allergies. It will therefore be prudent for these risk factors for keratoconus to be included in the school health education programs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:46:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f229c817e95e4cb7aed1b497db66a013 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2411-5150 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:46:18Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vision |
| spelling | doaj.art-f229c817e95e4cb7aed1b497db66a0132023-11-17T14:24:43ZengMDPI AGVision2411-51502022-12-0171210.3390/vision7010002Risk Profile of Keratoconus among Secondary School Students in the West Region of CameroonEnowntai Nkongho Ayukotang0Vanessa Raquel Moodley1Khathutshelo Percy Mashige2Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea P.O. Box 63, CameroonDiscipline of Optometry, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South AfricaAfrican Vision Research Institute, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South AfricaThis study determined the risk factors of keratoconus (KC) among secondary school students in the West Region of Cameroon. A stratified, random sampling technique was used to select the 3015 secondary school students, 8 years and older, within the West Region of Cameroon. Selected school students completed the validated Keratoconus Risk Investigative Survey (KRIS) and a structured demographic questionnaire to determine the risk profile of KC. Descriptive analysis, logistic regression and <i>p</i>-values were used to provide an overview of the demographic findings and the risk factors of KC. Estimates were made as the proportion of affected school students and presented with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the association between KC and the independent predictors that were found significant in the univariate analysis. The ages of the majority (93.2%) of students ranged from eight years to 18 years (mean = 13.18 ± years) and were mostly female (59.7%). Gender (OR 2.024, <i>p</i> < 0.001), eye rubbing (OR 3.615, <i>p</i> < 0.001), exposure to sunlight (OR 2.735, <i>p</i> < 0.001), blood relations with KC (OR 41.819, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and allergic experience (OR 1.070, <i>p</i> < 0.001) were considered. Eye rubbing was the most significant risk factor of keratoconus followed by refractive error, allergic experiences and sunlight exposure. These findings support the evidence that the etiology of KC is multifactorial, with eye rubbing being the most significant factor in this cohort. There is a need to address eye rubbing among students to minimize the risk of KC. Furthermore, 34.46% of students in Cameroon were at risk of developing KC. Hence the risk profile is that one engages in eye rubbing, has a family member with KC, spends more than eight hours per week in the sun and is prone to allergies. It will therefore be prudent for these risk factors for keratoconus to be included in the school health education programs.https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5150/7/1/2keratoconusrisk factor of keratoconuskeratoconus-linkedvisual impairmentCameroon |
| spellingShingle | Enowntai Nkongho Ayukotang Vanessa Raquel Moodley Khathutshelo Percy Mashige Risk Profile of Keratoconus among Secondary School Students in the West Region of Cameroon Vision keratoconus risk factor of keratoconus keratoconus-linked visual impairment Cameroon |
| title | Risk Profile of Keratoconus among Secondary School Students in the West Region of Cameroon |
| title_full | Risk Profile of Keratoconus among Secondary School Students in the West Region of Cameroon |
| title_fullStr | Risk Profile of Keratoconus among Secondary School Students in the West Region of Cameroon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Risk Profile of Keratoconus among Secondary School Students in the West Region of Cameroon |
| title_short | Risk Profile of Keratoconus among Secondary School Students in the West Region of Cameroon |
| title_sort | risk profile of keratoconus among secondary school students in the west region of cameroon |
| topic | keratoconus risk factor of keratoconus keratoconus-linked visual impairment Cameroon |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5150/7/1/2 |
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