TY - JOUR
KW - Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
KW - General Medicine
KW - Health (social science)
KW - Ethiopia
KW - Prevalence
KW - Somali Region
KW - Trachoma
KW - Trichiasis
KW - Tropical Data
AU - Gebreselassie G
AU - Negash K
AU - Tsegaye S
AU - Makonnen M
AU - Deneke B
AU - Desalegn M
AU - Harding-Esch EM
AU - Harte A
AU - Solomon AW
AU - Boyd S
AU - Bakhtiari A
AU - Hassen MA
AU - Hambali A
AU - Dejene M
AU - Beckwith C
AU - Tadesse F
AU - Seifu F
AU - Kiflu G
AU - Kebede F
AB - <p><strong>Background:&nbsp;</strong>Following interventions to eliminate trachoma in Somali region, Ethiopia, we aimed to re-estimate the prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis (TT) and trachomatous inflammation—follicular (TF) at woreda level and identify the factors associated with the disease.</p>

<p><strong>Methods:</strong> We implemented cross-sectional community-based surveys in 50 trachoma-endemic woredas, using a standardized survey. Households were the secondary sampling unit. Surveys were undertaken through a combination of interviews of household heads and direct inspection of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) access, plus clinical evaluation of eligible household members for TT and TF.</p>

<p><strong>Results:</strong> Overall, 41 (82%) of the 50 woredas had met the WHO-recommended active trachoma elimination threshold (prevalence of TF &lt;5% in 1–9-y-olds) and 42 (84%) had met the TT threshold (prevalence of TT unknown to the health system &lt;0.2% in ≥15-y-olds). Only 18% of households had access to an improved drinking water source within a 30-min trip and only 25% had an improved latrine.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Additional rounds of antibiotic mass drug administration, plus interventions to enhance facial cleanliness and improve the environment, are required in nine woredas. TT surgical campaigns are needed in eight woredas. Greater access to WASH is required across all the woredas that were surveyed.</p>

BT - International Health
DO - 10.1093/inthealth/ihad063
IS - Supplement_2
LA - Eng
N2 - <p><strong>Background:&nbsp;</strong>Following interventions to eliminate trachoma in Somali region, Ethiopia, we aimed to re-estimate the prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis (TT) and trachomatous inflammation—follicular (TF) at woreda level and identify the factors associated with the disease.</p>

<p><strong>Methods:</strong> We implemented cross-sectional community-based surveys in 50 trachoma-endemic woredas, using a standardized survey. Households were the secondary sampling unit. Surveys were undertaken through a combination of interviews of household heads and direct inspection of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) access, plus clinical evaluation of eligible household members for TT and TF.</p>

<p><strong>Results:</strong> Overall, 41 (82%) of the 50 woredas had met the WHO-recommended active trachoma elimination threshold (prevalence of TF &lt;5% in 1–9-y-olds) and 42 (84%) had met the TT threshold (prevalence of TT unknown to the health system &lt;0.2% in ≥15-y-olds). Only 18% of households had access to an improved drinking water source within a 30-min trip and only 25% had an improved latrine.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Additional rounds of antibiotic mass drug administration, plus interventions to enhance facial cleanliness and improve the environment, are required in nine woredas. TT surgical campaigns are needed in eight woredas. Greater access to WASH is required across all the woredas that were surveyed.</p>

PB - Oxford University Press (OUP)
PY - 2023
SP - ii30
EP - ii37
T2 - International Health
TI - Prevalence of trachoma in Somali region, Ethiopia: results from trachoma impact surveys in 50 woredas
UR - https://academic.oup.com/inthealth/article-pdf/15/Supplement_2/ii30/53979162/ihad063.pdf
VL - 15
SN - 1876-3413, 1876-3405
ER -