Perceptions about Vision and Utilization of Eye Care Services among Cocoa Farmers in a Rural Community in Ghana

Abstract

To examine the perception of farmers on their vision and the utilization of eye-care services. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among cocoa farmers at Mfuom, a rural farming community in Ghana using structured questionnaires, and there was an assessment of distance visual acuity using the Snellen E chart. Results: Of the 185 cocoa farmers, 68% were males and 32% females. The ages of the respondents ranged between 19 and 70 years with a mean age of 52.7 (SD= 11.70). About 37% had spent 5 to 9 years in farming with 12% spending more than 30 years. The results revealed that cocoa farmers had a very poor perception of their vision since 85.4% of them reported either poor or very poor vision as against the measured 31.9% of poor or very poor vision upon visual acuity assessment. Only 26.5% reported seeking eye-care within a period of 2 years before the study. Conclusion: The data suggests that cocoa farmers in the community have high negative perception of their vision yet they make insufficient use of proper eye care services. It is therefore recommended that cocoa farmers are educated on ocular health issues to help change their negative perception of their vision and promote proper utilization of eye-care services.