Prevalence of risk factors for trachoma in a rural locality of northwestern Ethiopia

Background: In Ethiopia, the prevalence of blindness has been estimated to be 1.5%, According to a survey done in collaboration with WHO in 1981, the leading cause of blindness in Ethiopia was trachoma (42%) followed by catar act (29%), The problem is mainly seen in the rural areas of the country. Objective: To determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of trach oma in a rural locality of north-western Ethiopia, Design: Cross-sectional survey. Subjects: One thousand seven hundred and eighteen individuals participated in the study. Main outcome measures. Grades of trachoma - the WHO simplified method of cl inical signs was used to determine the various grades of trachoma. Results: The overall prevalence rate of trachoma of the locality was 59.2% while the prevalence rate of active trachoma was found to be 52.4%, Higher frequency of trachoma was observed among females aged 15 years and above th an males of the corresponding age group, and this finding was statistically significant (chi(2) -test, p < 0.001), Child care-taking among women, habi ts and frequency of face washing, presence of cooking places in living room s and sharing of same rooms with animals have been found to be highly assoc iated with trachoma (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the following recommendatio ns are made, among others: (i) the development of a system aimed at educati ng and convincing the people to maintain high personal and environmental hy giene and; (ii) the strengthening of the nearby health centres to incorpora te activities like correction of lid deformities to prevent further loss of eye vision due to corneal damage are recommended.