title: Experiences of vision impairment in Papua New Guinea: implications for blindness prevention programs.
abstract: A person's capability to access services and achieve good eye health is influenced by their behaviours, perceptions, beliefs and experiences. As evidence from Papua New Guinea (PNG) about people's lived experience with vision impairment is limited, the purpose of the present study was to better understand the beliefs, perceptions and emotional responses to vision impairment in PNG.
  
  
  
  A qualitative study, using both purposive and convenience sampling, was undertaken to explore common beliefs and perceptions about vision impairment, as well as the emotional responses to vision impairment. In-depth interviews were undertaken with 51 adults from five provinces representing culturally and geographically diverse regions of PNG. Grounded theory was used to elicit key themes from interview data.
  
  
  
  Participants described activities of everyday life impacted by vision impairment and the related worry, sadness and social exclusion. Common beliefs about the causes of vision impairment were environmental stressors (sun, dust, dirt and smoke), ageing and sorcery.
  
  
  
  Findings provide insight into the unique social context in PNG and identify a number of programmatic and policy implications, such as the need for preventative eye health information and services, addressing persisting beliefs in sorcery when developing health information packages, and the importance of coordinating with counselling and well-being services for people experiencing vision impairment.
authors.affiliation: Brien Holden Vision Institute, Public Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia. a.burnett@brienholdenvision.org.
authors.forename: Anthea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burnett
authors.affiliation: Brien Holden Vision Institute, Public Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia. a.yashadhana@brienholdenvision.org.
authors.forename: Aryati
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yashadhana
authors.affiliation: Brien Holden Vision Institute, Public Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia. mariapcabrera@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cabrera Aguas
authors.affiliation: PNG Eye Care, Port Moresby General Hospital, Boroko 11, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. yvonne.hani@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hanni
authors.affiliation: Brien Holden Vision Institute, Public Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia. m.yu@brienholdenvision.org.
authors.forename: Mitasha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration; D001766:Blindness / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010219:Papua New Guinea; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Australia/Pacific; Consumer perspectives; Determinants of Health; Ophthalmology; Public Health; Qualitative Research; Sociology