PREVALENCE AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH FOREIGN BODYASSOCIATED OCULAR INJURY AMONG OCULAR INJURY PATIENTS IN FOUR COMMUNITY HOSPITALS, CENTRAL, THAILAND: A MULTICENTER STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55374/jseamed.v9.233Keywords:
foreign body-associated ocular injury, ocular injury, factor association, community hospitalAbstract
Background: Foreign body (FB) associated ocular injury is a common cause of eye trauma. Understanding the prevalence and associated factors of FB-associated ocular injuries is essential for developing targeted prevention strategies and improving healthcare access for ocular trauma in community areas.
Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of FB-associated ocular injuries among patients presenting with ocular trauma at four community hospitals in central Thailand.
Methods: This cross-sectional multicenter study reviewed ocular injury cases in four community hospitals in central Thailand, identified by ICD-10 codes from October 1, 2018, to September 17, 2024. Characteristics of FB-associated ocular injury, defined as ocular trauma with history or examination indicating a foreign body as the causative agent, were reviewed from medical records. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to analyze the differences between groups. Prevalence ratios (PRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance to assess associations. Temporal trends were examined by fiscal year periods.
Results: Of 7,189 participants (60.8% male; mean age 45 years), 62% (n=4,456) had FB-associated ocular injuries. Male gender (aPR 1.12, 95% CI 1.08–1.16), metal/stone objects (aPR 1.53, 95% CI 1.46–1.59), and injury onset ≥24 hours (aPR 1.24, 95% CI 1.17–1.32) were associated with a higher risk. Trend analysis by fiscal year showed that health-seeking behavior shifted toward OPD visits (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The prevalence of FB-associated ocular injuries in community hospitals was high, with male gender, mechanical work, metallic objects, and delayed healthcare access (>24 hours) identified as significant risk factors. Preventive strategies such as promoting protective measures in industrial sectors and emphasizing the importance of seeking timely healthcare are essential to reducing the injury burden. Since 2019, a shift in healthcare access from ER to OPD has been observed, underscoring the need for a flexible healthcare system that can adapt to changing health-seeking behaviors.
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