Visual Impairment and Its Associated Factors Among Hypertensive Patients in Amhara Region Referral Hospitals, Ethiopia

Baye Ashenef; Mengistie Diress; Yigizie Yeshaw; Baye Dagnew; Yibeltal Yismaw Gela; Yonas Akalu; Abdulhenan Abdurahman; Kassa Abebaw

doi:10.2147/OPTH.S408171

Visual Impairment and Its Associated Factors Among Hypertensive Patients in Amhara Region Referral Hospitals, Ethiopia

Clin Ophthalmol. 2023 Oct 20:17:3149-3161. doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S408171. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Baye Ashenef¹, Mengistie Diress², Yigizie Yeshaw², Baye Dagnew², Yibeltal Yismaw Gela², Yonas Akalu², Abdulhenan Abdurahman³, Kassa Abebaw¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Human Physiology, School of Medicine, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia.
² Department of Human Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
³ Department of Human Physiology, School of Medicine, Madda Walabu University, Bale Goba, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: Visual impairment is one of the most common long-term effects of high blood pressure. It affects one's quality of life, independence, and mobility. There is a paucity of information regarding the prevalence of visual impairment due to hypertension in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of visual impairment and its associated factors among hypertensive patients in referral hospitals of the Amhara region, Ethiopia, 2021.

Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 study participants, which were selected by systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected by using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire and physical measurements. The collected data were entered into Epi-data version 4.6. Then, exported into SPSS Version 26 for analysis. The crude and adjusted odds ratios and 95% Confidence intervals were calculated. Both bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done. Variables with a p-value of ≤0.05 were stated as significantly associated with visual impairment.

Results: The overall prevalence of visual impairment among hypertensive patients was 32.4% (95% CI: 27.9-37.9). Duration of hypertension ≥ 5 years (AOR =3.06, 95% CI: 1.86-4.95), history of ocular trauma (AOR =2.50, 95% CI: 1.3-4.73), and ever alcohol drinking (AOR = 2.72, 95% CI: 1.32-5.62) were significantly associated with visual impairment.

Conclusion: Nearly one-third of hypertensive patients were visually impaired from the study participants. Duration of hypertension ≥5 years, history of ocular trauma, and ever alcohol drinking was significantly associated with visual impairment among hypertensive patients. Therefore, in addition to providing medical care and follow-up services for hypertension patients, health education is needed for early and proper management of visual impairment, and to decrease their level of alcohol consumption. Furthermore, better to do this study by prospective cohort study design to identify cause-and-effect relationships.

Keywords: Ethiopia; hypertension; visual acuity; visual impairment.