Knowledge about Glaucoma among Adults in Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

AbstractBackground Africa is one of the continents with a substantial burden of glaucoma, where it is approximately twice as common as it is worldwide. If left untreated, glaucoma can cause blindness and permanent vision loss if it is not addressed promptly. Good knowledge is essential for preventing glaucoma's irreversible blindness and ocular damage. However, no systematic review and meta-analysis has been done to report the pooled percentage of adults in Africa who have good knowledge about glaucoma. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled percentage of adults in Africa with a good level of knowledge about glaucoma and the determinant factors influencing it. Methods Following the PRISMA guidelines, authors systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed studies that investigated the pooled percentage of good knowledge about glaucoma in Africa from PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, PROQEST (PQDT), CINAHL (EBSCO), Google Scholar, African Journal Online, and WHO HINARI databases. Heterogeneity across studies was evaluated using the I² test statistic and P values. Potential publication bias was assessed using Egger’s test and the funnel plots. Subgroup analysis was performed based on publication year, study location, age of participants, and sample size. Results In the present meta-analysis, 2781 articles were initially identified and evaluated. Of these, 8 studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in the final analysis. The pooled percentage of good knowledge about glaucoma among adults in Africa was 25% (95% CI: 16.0%, 35.0%). The pooled estimate of good knowledge among adults in Africa was higher in Ethiopia (39.0%) than Nigeria (15.0%) and good knowledge among adults in Africa was higher among participants 35 years of age or more (50.0%) than 18 years of age or more (17.0%). Being literate and having a history of an eye examination were the main determinants of good knowledge about glaucoma among adults in Africa. Conclusion This systematic review and meta-analysis found low good knowledge about glaucoma among adults in Africa, with being literate and having history of eye examination were key main determinant factors. Education campaigns and promotion of eye exams are recommended to improve good knowledge about glaucoma. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42023430723