title: Prevalence, types and awareness of glaucoma in a multi-ethnic population in rural China: the Yunnan Minority Eye Study.
abstract: To determine the prevalence, types and awareness of glaucoma in a rural community in China and to examine possible ethnic variations.
  
  
  
  The Yunnan Minority Eye Study was a multi-ethnic community-based eye survey using random cluster sampling strategies. 2133 Bai, 2205 Han and 2208 Yi Chinese aged 50 years or older participated in this study. Glaucoma including primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) and secondary glaucoma was defined based on the International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology criteria.
  
  
  
  The overall age-standardized prevalence of all glaucoma was 2.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.2-3.1%) in this population. It was 1.8% (95% CI: 1.1-1.9%) for POAG and 0.5% (95% CI: 0.9-1.6%) for PACG, respectively. Among 29 people with secondary glaucoma, 27 (93%) were blind in at least one eye. The presence of primary open-angle glaucoma was associated with male gender (odds ratio [OR] = 2.94; comparing men with women), Yi ethnicity (OR = 2.27; comparing Yi with Han people), higher IOP (OR = 1.09 per mmHg increase), and the presence of myopia (OR = 1.84). Of the 212 participants with glaucoma, only 38 (18%) were aware of the disease and had been diagnosed previously as having glaucoma or suspected glaucoma. Patients who were better educated tended to be aware of the disease.
  
  
  
  Significant ethnic difference in the prevalence of POAG was observed in this study. The low awareness of glaucoma highlights the pressing need to increase public awareness of this potentially blinding condition in rural China.
authors: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, School of Public Health, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors: Chen-Wei
authors: CW
authors: Pan
authors: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, School of Public Health, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors: Chun-Hua
authors: CH
authors: Zhao
authors: The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Min-Bin
authors: MB
authors: Yu
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors: Qing
authors: Q
authors: Cun
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors: Qin
authors: Q
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, The Second People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Shen
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, The Second People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Jian-Gang
authors: JG
authors: Xu
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors: Yuansheng
authors: Y
authors: Yuan
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China. zhoculist@163.com.
authors: Hua
authors: H
authors: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001364:Awareness; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population
keywords: epidemiology; ethnicity; glaucoma; public health