Efficiency in visual function and quality of life of pre and post of cataract surgery patients in Roi Et Hospital, Roi Et province, Thailand

Abstract

This analytical study aimed to study about efficiency in visual function and quality of life of pre and post of cataract surgery patients at Roi Et hospital. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 48 samples during January to March 2010 through an applied interview questionnaire. Via Conbrach’s alpha Coefficient, the reliability of the interview questionnaire was 0.75. Data analysis was in frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation (descriptive statistics) and paired t-test. The research result could be summarized as follows: 1. Personal data: there were male (54.17%) more than female (45.83%). Most of them were between 60-69 years-old (43.75%), agriculturalist (72.92%), lived outside municipal areas (93.75%), used Universal Coverage Scheme (85.42%), received the elderly life-sustaining fund (60.42%), average household monthly income was 36,000 baht per year while average personal income was 10,000 baht per year. Almost half of them had enough income vis-à-vis expenditure (48.94%). Almost all of the patients (95.83%) lived with their family and were taken care of by their children (60.42%). In the past one year before their cataract surgery, the patients used the services of Roi Et Hospital for 3.5 times on average, with average 500 baht travel expense per visit (together with their care-taker). Majority of them had no cataract surgery for the other eye (70.83%) and the timing from the latest cataract surgery was 33 months on average. 2. Results on visual acuity assessment found that before the surgery, the patient’s visual acuity (VA) was 81.25% considered as blindness cataract group. However, after the surgery, the patient’s VA was 45.84% considered as being improved close to normal level. The visual analog scale (VAS) before the surgery was 35.83 and after the surgery was 81.92 on average. 3. Mean (score) of the efficiency in visual function and quality of life (QoL) after the surgery (X-bar 48.13, SD 3.41) and (X-bar 68.50, SD 3.66), respectively which were higher than before the surgery (X-bar 27.42, SD 9.37) and (X-bar 47.10, SD 14.89) respectively, with statistically significant at the level of 0.05. Future research should involve other types of eye disease. Engagement from top executives in problem solving or policy making has to be initiated for the development of eye care services for cataract patients.