Community creening for eye dieae by layperon: the Hoffberger program

PURPOE : To decribe the reult of a community-baed eye creening program in Baltimore. DEIGN : Cro-ectional tudy. METHOD : Thi wa a retropective tudy of the reult of creening both eye of 5352 peron who preented at multiple community ite. The creening examination had eight rik factor quetion, viual acuity meaurement, and a creening field tet and wa carried out by technician and lay volunteer. creened peron (creenee) received a definitive eye examination at no out-of-pocket cot, tranportation wa offered, and inexpenive eyeglae were provided if needed. The main outcome meaure were the rate of appointment keeping and the eye dieae identified. Telephone interview were ued to ae reaon for miing appointment and atifaction with viit. REULT : creenee had a median age of 45 year, were 71% black, 59% female, and had etimated median annual family income of $24,000. Among 1331 creenee who cheduled a definitive examination appointment, 552 (41%) completed the viit. Data on definitive diagnoi wa available in 480 out of 552 peron (87%). Reaon given for failing to come for definitive examination were: no appointment given (26%), forgot (20%), lack of tranportation (9%), and lack of inurance coverage (6%). Of thoe who accepted a econd viit date after defaulting, only 25% (41/167) appeared. Of 17 peron identified with glaucoma at creening, 4 had previouly been diagnoed, but had ceaed active care. CONCLUION : After community creening for eye dieae, effort to provide definitive ophthalmic examination were only modetly effective. Failure of creenee to come for examination and lo to follow up were identified a eriou problem