Frequency of eye diseases in homeless people in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

• Grant number: 23/08437-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: July 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: João Marcello Fortes Furtado
• Grantee: Dara Gomes Sousa
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The homeless population is a heterogeneous group with extreme poverty, fragile family ties, without regular conventional housing, and who enjoy public places such as housing and support or shelter units. This group has increased risk factors for clinical morbidities, such as infections, and has less access to health services, implying worse access to health services. Eye problems are determinant for a poor quality of life and a decrease in equity, in addition to implying a loss in the overall productivity of this group. There is a shortage of studies on blindness and visual impairment in Brazil, especially studies that address vulnerable populations. Homeless people have increased risk factors for several conditions that can affect the eyes, such as infectious diseases, malnutrition and increased exposure to ultraviolet light, in addition to less access to health services.Therefore, knowing the eye health conditions and risk factors for visual impairment of people in this population is extremely important for the development of public policies. With the target population of homeless people in Ribeirão Preto (SP), the project in question aims to describe the frequency of visual impairment and blindness and their causes. This cross-sectional study will include 500 homeless adults assisted in support centers in Ribeirão Preto (SP). The socioeconomic questionnaire and care protocol of the Brazilian Amazon Region Eye Survey adapted for the study will be used. The clinical evaluation will consist of measurement of visual acuity for distance and near, tonometry, biomicroscopy, refraction, indirect ophthalmoscopy and retinography. The leading cause of visual acuity worse than 20/32 per eye per participant will be designated. Frequency tables will be used for descriptive analysis, and associations between categorical variables and covariates will be evaluated by multiple logistic regression analysis. P values d 0.05 will be considered significant.