Community Health Workers for Prevention of Corneal Ulcers in South India: A Cluster-Randomized Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To determine whether a community health worker (CHW) program increases referrals to local eye care providers and ultimately reduces the incidence of corneal ulcers.

Design

Cluster-randomized trial performed from 2014 to 2017 in rural South India.

Methods

This was a community-based study that included all inhabitants of 42 rural South Indian communities. CHWs were trained to diagnose corneal abrasions and assist participants in seeking care at a local vision center. Given the nature of the intervention, the trial was not masked. The main outcome measure was incident corneal ulcer, defined as an active infiltrate or evidence of a new opacity, as assessed by means of penlight examination during an annual door-to-door census.

Results

Twenty-one study cluste

SUBMITTER: Srinivasan M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10276527 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature