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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Kelechi Mezu Nnabue, OD DrPH, Optometry Physician/Public Health Practitioner, Aqua Vision Center/Morgan State University, 1400 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21208, 4106021567, kysarti@yahoo.com, Olachi Mezu Ndubuisi, MD, OD, Department of Pediatrics, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport., Louisiana State University, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA 71130, and Nina Mezu Nwaba, Pharm D, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food & Drug Administration, FDA, 9200 Coporate BLVD, Rockville, MD 20850.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world, affecting an estimated 66.8 million people. It is a major public health problem in the U.S being the 2nd most prevalent form of permanent blindness and is 7-8 times more common in African Americans. To address a growing research need to further determine and document patient-reported outcomes of visual functioning, we looked at the quality of life concerns in African Americans with glaucoma being treated with medication only versus those treated with laser and medications using both generic (SF-36) and vision specific (VFQ-25) HQOL questionnaires. We did an interviewer administered cross-sectional primary data collection and analyses at the University of Maryland (University Eye Care) using 171 participants. The SF-36 physical component summary scale was sensitive to the burden of co-existing medical health problems like diabetes which was consistent with current literature while all scales of the VFQ-25 health questionnaire were associated with being treated with medication and laser surgery as against medication only treatment. These study results show that one can gather important information regarding the usefulness of possible general and vision specific related problems associated with POAG that may affect the HQOL of susceptible patients.

Learning Objectives: (1)

For African Americans living with primary open angle glaucoma, this study will provide a better understanding of the daily general and visual problems they experience with the disease. (
• For practitioners, it will provide a better understanding of these general and vision-specific problems glaucoma patients experience and thus help tailor better treatment protocols (
• This will enable the consideration of the overall health status of a patient prior to choosing appropriate therapy options since this study has shown that there is an association between that and having a good quality of life.

Keywords: Health Care Quality, Health Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No