Uptake of eye care services in South India: Retrospective mapping of self-reported barriers using the Theoretical Domains Framework

Understanding barriers to seeking eye care and providing evidence-based theory-informed solutions can improve the uptake of eye care services. Therefore, in this cross-sectional study, we aim to report and analyse barriers to seeking eye care services among individuals with vision impairment in the Akividu region of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Out of the 3000 enumerated participants, a total of 2587 were examined. All participants with vision impairment were asked to report barriers for not seeking eye care despite noticing reduced vision using a validated questionnaire. The reported barriers were mapped to the theoretical domains framework (TDF) to explore potential individual and environmental influences on the uptake of eye care services.

Barriers to seeking eye care services are most frequently mapped to the ‘beliefs about capabilities’, ‘environmental context and resources’ and ‘social influences’ domains of the TDF. The most frequently reported barrier was ‘aware of the problem but can manage’ (beliefs about capabilities), expressed by 43.4% (n = 156) and 55.7% (n = 337) of participants with distance and near vision impairment, respectively. ‘No one to accompany’ for an appointment (social influences) was a significant barrier for participants with distance vision impairment (n = 44, 12.2%) in comparison to participants with near vision impairment (n = 19, 3.1%). Additionally, fear of losing eyesight or operation or consultation (emotion) was a major deterrent for seeking eye care services, particularly among participants with distance vision impairment (n = 31, 8.6%) when compared with near vision impairment (n = 17, 2.8%).

The uptake of eye care services is influenced by a complex set of interacting factors. Identification of potentially modifiable target behaviours provides an opportunity to develop theory-informed solutions to improve uptake of services and prevent avoidable vision loss.