Background/aims: To assess the current level of under-registration of blindne ss and partial sight among patients attending a large teaching hospital, and to determine any risk factors for under-registration. Methods:...Background/aims: To assess the current level of under-registration of blindne ss and partial sight among patients attending a large teaching hospital, and to determine any risk factors for under-registration. Methods: Medical records of all patients attending general ophthalmology outpatient clinics over a 3 month p eriod were included in a retrospective analysis of registration rates; questionn aire survey assessing the level of knowledge of registration practices among 35 ophthalmologists working in theWest Midlands. Results: 146/2161 (7%) patients w ere eligible for blind or partial sight registration, or were in possession of a completed BD8 form. Of these 146 patients, 65 (45%) were unregistered with 18 fulfilling the criteria for blind and 47 for partially sight. In addition, 32/81 (40%) registered patients appeared to have been inappropriately registered. Pa rtially sighted patients were more likely to be unregistered than blind patients (OR 2.31, 95%CI 1.15 to 4.63, p=0187), and patients from ethnic minorities wer e more than three times more likely to be unregistered than white patients (OR 3 .23, 95%CI 1.56 to 6.65, p=0.0015). A patient with a treatable condition was mo re likely to be unregistered than a patient with an unbeatable condition (OR 4.8 7, 95%CI 2.10 to 11.33, p=0.0002). The overall level of knowledge of registrati on practices among doctors was found to be low and there was no indication of in creasing knowledge with increasing experience. Conclusions: There has been littl e improvement in registration rates of visually impaired patients over the past decade. Ophthalmologists lack the necessary knowledge to cater for visually impa ired patients’needs.展开更多
文摘Background/aims: To assess the current level of under-registration of blindne ss and partial sight among patients attending a large teaching hospital, and to determine any risk factors for under-registration. Methods: Medical records of all patients attending general ophthalmology outpatient clinics over a 3 month p eriod were included in a retrospective analysis of registration rates; questionn aire survey assessing the level of knowledge of registration practices among 35 ophthalmologists working in theWest Midlands. Results: 146/2161 (7%) patients w ere eligible for blind or partial sight registration, or were in possession of a completed BD8 form. Of these 146 patients, 65 (45%) were unregistered with 18 fulfilling the criteria for blind and 47 for partially sight. In addition, 32/81 (40%) registered patients appeared to have been inappropriately registered. Pa rtially sighted patients were more likely to be unregistered than blind patients (OR 2.31, 95%CI 1.15 to 4.63, p=0187), and patients from ethnic minorities wer e more than three times more likely to be unregistered than white patients (OR 3 .23, 95%CI 1.56 to 6.65, p=0.0015). A patient with a treatable condition was mo re likely to be unregistered than a patient with an unbeatable condition (OR 4.8 7, 95%CI 2.10 to 11.33, p=0.0002). The overall level of knowledge of registrati on practices among doctors was found to be low and there was no indication of in creasing knowledge with increasing experience. Conclusions: There has been littl e improvement in registration rates of visually impaired patients over the past decade. Ophthalmologists lack the necessary knowledge to cater for visually impa ired patients’needs.
