Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: July | Volume: 7 | Issue: 7 | Pages: 221-225
Assessing the Quality of Vision Screening By Teachers among School Children in the Bibiani-Ahwianso-Bekwai District, Ghana
Kwame Otu – Danquah1, Isaac Owusu Baffoe2, Lydia Owusuaa3, Abraham Essel4, Grace Badu5
1Optometrist, 3Ophthalmic Nurse, 4Optician, 5Enrolled Nurse,
Bibiani District Hospital, Ghana.
2Program Coordinator (Ghana Country Office), Operation Eyesight Universal.
Corresponding Author: Kwame Otu – Danquah
ABSTRACT
Background: An effective and efficient school vision screening program will lead to early detection and management of childhood vision impairment. Non health professionals specifically teachers can be utilized for vision screening because of their unique relationship with pupils.
Aim: To assess the quality of vision screening of school children by teachers.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, school teachers were trained to screen pupils in four basic schools in the Bibiani-Anhwianso-Bekwai district of Ghana. Pupils were re-screened by the research team to assess the quality of vision screening by teachers.
Results: Nine hundred and seventy eight (978) school children were screened by 32 teachers. The sensitivity and specificity of the vision screening by teachers was 76% (95%CI: 59% - 88%) and 96% (95%CI: 95% - 98%) respectively. The positive predictive value was 47% (95% CI: 34% - 60%) and negative positive value was 99% (95% CI: 98% - 99.5%).
Conclusion: With the requisite training, teachers can perform vision screening for school children with a high degree of accuracy.
Key words: Vision screening, school children, vision impairment, teachers.