Longitudinal Analysis of Eye Health Disparities Due to Trachoma Using Country-Level Data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

PURPOSE: To assess the change in eye health disparities due to trachoma using longitudinal country-level data (1990-2019) from the global burden of disease study 2019.

METHODS:STATEMENT: We obtained data on the burden of trachoma and population statistics from the Global Health Data Exchange website. We assessed the geographic distribution of trachoma at the global level and World Bank regional level from year to year using Gini coefficients and statistics of inequality that ranged from 0 (total equality) to 1 (total inequality).

RESULT: We found that 60 countries and territories had a burden of trachoma, and these were from all regions except Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. At the global level, the Gini coefficient had increased from 0.546 to 0.637 (p for trend: <0.001) in the last three decades, while the mean disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 100,000 people declined from 13.0 to 3.2 (p for trend: <0.001). The inequality statistics had significantly worsened in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa (p for trend: <0.001) despite the decrease in the mean DALYs per capita.

CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that the burden of trachoma dramatically decreased; however, the eye health inequality due to trachoma increased globally and in two of the most endemic regions in the last three decades. Global eye health experts need to monitor the distribution of eye diseases and ensure appropriate, effective, uniform, and high-quality eye care for all.