Towards Universal Eye Health: Hospital-based disability-disaggregated data collection in Takeo province, Cambodia

Universal access and equity are salient principles of the World Health Organization global action plan 'Towards Universal Eye Health'. However, collection of disability-disaggregated data to measure access to eye hospitals in low- and middle income countries, including referral to rehabilitative services, are not routinely integrated into Health Management Information Systems.

This report presents secondary-data analysis of disability-disaggregated data collection that was introduced at a tertiary eye hospital in a rural province in Cambodia.

A modified version of the Washington Group Short Set of Questions was used to count the number of eye patients with self-reported difficulties. The number of referrals of patients with unavoidable visual impairment to low vision services as well as referral to rehabilitative services was also counted.

From 2011 to 2016, out of 182,327 patients overall 4981 (2.7%; 95% CI 2.66-2.81) reported difficulties with hearing, moving or communicating in addition to visual or other eye-related problems. Most of the difficulties were reported in the age group of patients aged 50 years and older (89.8% [95% CI 88.9-90.6]). All together 901 (0.5%; 95% CI 0.46-0.53) patients were treated at the low vision unit and 652 (0.36%; 95% CI 0.33-0.39) patients were referred to rehabilitation services. The number of referrals to rehabilitation declined annually from the year 2013-2016.

Patients with self-reported impairments constitute a significant proportion of the eye hospital's population. A modified version of the Washington Group Short Set of Questions enabled routine disability-disaggregated data collection but resulted also in possible under-reporting of difficulties.