Determinants Of Trachomatous Trichiasis Among Women Screened For Trachoma In Waliso District, Southwest Shewa Zone, Oromia, Central Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Trachomatous Trichiasis (TT) results from of severe alteration and damage mostly in the upper eyelid caused by repeated infection with chlamydia trachomatous. Even if it is common in Women increasing with age, there is little study on the global determinant of TT among women. Objective: To identify determinants of Trachomatous Trachiasis among women screened for trachoma in Waliso district, Oromia, Ethiopia Methods: A Community- based unmatched case-control study was employed from August 28, 2022, to September 23, 2022. Using simple random sampling a total of 450 study participants (225 cases and 225 controls) aged 15-64 years were included. Data were collected through interviewer-administered structured questionnaires, entered into EPI-INFO Version 7.2.3 and exported to SPSS version 24 for statistical analysis. A bivariate binary logistic regression model was fitted to screen candidate variables with (p<0.25) for the final model. Finally, Multivariate binary logistic regression was employed(p<0.05) to identify determinants of trachomatous trichiasis. Result: The study`s response rate was 100%, with Median age 55 years among cases and 48 years among control from the Waliso district. Family size>=5 (AOR=2.81,95%CI;(1.60,4.92), presence of a family with eye problems (AOR=10.03,95%CI;(2.19,46.04), and Women with low wealth index compared to veryrichcategory(AOR=3,12%CI;(1.50,6.42)),poor(AOR=5.75,95%CI;(2.65,12.47)),v ery poor {AOR=14.95,95%CI;(6.40,34.92))} were associated with trichiasis as a risk factor. Moreover, having a Separate kitchen (AOR=0.51,95%CI;(0.30,0.86)),Can read and write education level (AOR=0.15,95%CI;(0.06,0.34), housewife occupation (AOR=0.24, 95% CI (0.06, 0.95)), primary and above education level (AOR= 0.30, 95 CI (0.13, 0.68)), Trust to Trichiasis surgeon(AOR=0.30, 95% CI: (0.10, 0.89)), and having good knowledge (AOR=0.17,95%CI;(0.09,0.31)) were associated with trichiasis as a protective factor. Conclusion: This study revealed that older age, large family size, presence of a family member with an eye problem, lack of some level of education, poor knowledge of trichiasis, lack of a separate kitchen, and a low Wealth index were significant determinants of trachomatous trichiasis. Hence, awareness creation in the community to prevent, control, and early treatment of trichiasis are mandatory.