Developing strategies that promote equity in eye health

Many more studies have reported the problem of inequity rather than the solutions. Studies that show strategies for enabling groups of people to better access eye care are essential to improving equity.

One set of studies we are undertaking seeks to identify groups most excluded from eye services, before co-designing and rapidly testing interventions with them. The work has the potential to be scaled up and used anywhere in the world, providing localised interventions for diverse groups of people. Read more about this work here.

Other work includes defining strategies that can improve access to cataract services, and incorporating the finding of strategies for equitable access as a ‘grand challenge’ in eye health.

Our staff also contributed to work that has reviewed the primary eye health services available for priority groups in high-income countries, which is essential for equity as they experience the highest prevalence of eye conditions.

Publications

Goodman L, Black J, Misra S, Tousignant B, Keay L, Woodburn S, Harwood M, Evans JR, Ramke J. Primary eye health services for older adults as a component of Universal Health Coverage: a scoping review of evidence from high income countries. Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific. June 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100560

Allen LN, Karanja S, Gichangi M. Access to community-based eye services in Meru, Kenya: a cross-sectional equity analysis. Int J Equity Health. August 2024. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-024-02244-x

Hamm LM, Yashadhana A, Burn H, Black J, Grey C, Harwood M, et al. Interventions to promote access to eyecare for non-dominant ethnic groups in high-income countries: a scoping review. BMJ Global Health. September 2021. https://gh.bmj.com/content/6/9/e006188

Ramke J, Evans JR, Habtamu E, Mwangi N, Silva JC, Swenor BK, et al. Grand Challenges in global eye health: a global prioritisation process using Delphi method. The Lancet Healthy Longevity. January 2022. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/s2666-7568(21)00302-0

McCormick I, Mactaggart I, Resnikoff S, Muirhead D, Murthy GV, Silva JC, Bastawrous A, Stern J, Blanchet K, Wang N, Yusufu M, Cooper A, Gichangi M, Eye Health Indicators Prioritisation Project Group, Burton MJ, Ramke J. Eye health indicators for universal health coverage: results of a global expert prioritisation process. Br J Ophthalmol. July 2022. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-318481

McCormick I, Tong K, Abdullah N, Abesamis-Dischoso C, Gende T, Hashim EB, Ho SM, Jalbert I, Jeronimo B, Matoto-Raikabakaba E, Ono K, Piyasena PN, Rogers JT, Szetu J, Tran MA, Tse DY, Win Y, Yap TP, Yoon S, Yusufu M, Burton MJ, Ramke J; Promoting Equity in Refractive Error Services in the Western Pacific Study Group. Strategies to address inequity of uncorrected refractive error in the Western Pacific: A modified Delphi process. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. September 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/opo.13348

Ramke J, Silva JC, Gichangi M, Ravilla T, Burn H, Buchan JC, et al. Cataract services for all: Strategies for equitable access from a global modified Delphi process. PLOS Glob Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0000631

Burn H, Hamm L, Black J, Burnett A, Harwood M, Burton MJ, Evans JR, Ramke J. Eye care delivery models to improve access to eye care for Indigenous peoples in high-income countries: a scoping review. BMJ Glob Health. March 2021. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004484