ReviewBMC health services research2013
Evidence for integrating eye health into primary health care in Africa: a health systems strengthening approach.
Review in BMC health services research, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 52 papers.
What it found
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
52 citing papers in PubMed.
- Trial
- Assessment of organizational readiness for integrating primary eye care into primary healthcare: a mixed-method pre-implementation study in rural Xinjiang.BMC primary care · 2026Article
- Reducing Primary Healthcare Bypass Behaviour: A Discrete Choice Experiment Study Exploring the Preferences for Primary Eye Care Services in Rural Xinjiang.The patient · 2026Article
- Ophthalmic policy implementation in Ethiopia: barriers and enablers from a mixed-methods stakeholder study.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Visual acuity problems, access to care, and related academic performance among primary school students in Tanzania: a mixed methods study.Vulnerable children and youth studies · 2026Article
- The effect of eye health system strengthening on the productivity of services: a before-and-after evaluation conducted in seven counties in Kenya.Frontiers in health services · 2026Article
- The prevalence and associated factors of dry eye disease amongst people diagnosed with diabetes mellitus in Bronkhorstspruit.Frontiers in clinical diabetes and healthcare · 2026Article
- From national strategy to local implementation: a policy analysis of eye health integration and financing in Kenya's devolved health system.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Lead Times of Optometry Services in Selected Public Hospitals in Rural South Africa.Clinical optometry · 2026Article
- Seeing the unseen: The low treatment rate of eye emergencies in Africa.World journal of methodology · 2025Article
- Assessment of pediatric eye care services in health facilities in the Ashanti region of Ghana.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2025Article
- Ideas matter: An analysis of the effects of framing on health system strengthening in Zimbabwe.Health research policy and systems · 2025Article
- Lived experience and lessons learned from the support of two secondary eye care units to improve cataract surgery and refractive services in two regions of Ethiopia: health system-strengthening support.International health · 2025Article
- Proposed framework for the integration of refractive error services into the eye health ecosystem in Kenya via social enterprise.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Exploring eye health professionals' knowledge, attitudes and practices towards eye health promotion interventions: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- A Qualitative Assessment of Low Vision Care Among Optometric Practitioners in Sub-Saharan Africa Using a Health Systems Framework.Health services insights · 2025Article
- Review
- Situation analysis on the integration of refractive error services provided by optometrists into the national health services in Kenya.BMC public health · 2024Article
- SWOT analysis of the models used by social enterprises in scaling effective refractive error coverage to achieve the 2030 in SIGHT in Kenya.Scientific reports · 2024Review
- Proposed task shifting integrated with telemedicine to address uncorrected refractive error in Kenya: Delphi study.BMC health services research · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe impact of unmet eye care needs in sub-Saharan Africa is compounded by barriers to accessing eye care, limited engagement with communities, a shortage of appropriately skilled health personnel, and inadequate support from health systems. The renewed focus on primary health care has led to support for greater integration of eye health into national health systems. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate available evidence of integration of eye health into primary health care in sub-Saharan Africa from a health systems strengthening perspective.
methodsA scoping review method was used to gather and assess information from published literature, reviews, WHO policy documents and examples of eye and health care interventions in sub-Saharan Africa. Findings were compiled using a health systems strengthening framework.
resultsLimited information is available about eye health from a health systems strengthening approach. Particular components of the health systems framework lacking evidence are service delivery, equipment and supplies, financing, leadership and governance. There is some information to support interventions to strengthen human resources at all levels, partnerships and community participation; but little evidence showing their successful application to improve quality of care and access to comprehensive eye health services at the primary health level, and referral to other levels for specialist eye care.
conclusionEvidence of integration of eye health into primary health care is currently weak, particularly when applying a health systems framework. A realignment of eye health in the primary health care agenda will require context specific planning and a holistic approach, with careful attention to each of the health system components and to the public health system as a whole. Documentation and evaluation of existing projects are required, as are pilot projects of systematic approaches to interventions and application of best practices. Multi-national research may provide guidance about how to scale up eye health interventions that are integrated into primary health systems.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.