{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,11]],"date-time":"2026-08-11T14:55:46Z","timestamp":1786460146327,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)","issue":"10","content-domain":{"domain":["lww.com","ovid.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The objective of this review was to synthesize the perceptions and practices of community members relating to trachoma in Africa.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Trachoma is the leading cause of blindness worldwide, and Africa is the worst-affected continent. Synthesized evidence relating to the disease has focused on various aspects including epidemiology, control, health education, facial cleanliness, interventions for trachomatous trichiasis, and the burden of trachoma on women. Currently, systematic reviews on perceptions and practices relating to trachoma are lacking despite the existence of primary studies. Filling this knowledge gap is critical for decision-making for effective community uptake of interventions.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Inclusion criteria:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Qualitative studies on the perceptions and practices relating to trachoma in both health care and community settings in Africa were considered for inclusion. Studies with participants 14 years or older were considered, regardless of gender, health status, religion, or ethnicity. Perceptions included beliefs, perspectives, views, knowledge, and thoughts relating to trachoma. Practices included regular actions relating to trachoma, such as treatment and prevention behaviors.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A search for studies in English was conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, BioMed Central, Current Contents, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar in May 2019 and updated in October 2021. Unpublished studies were searched in MedNar, Index to Thesis, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global, World Health Organization, and individual governments\u2019 commissioned trachoma reports. Two independent reviewers were involved in study selection, critical appraisal, and data extraction using the JBI tools. Data were synthesized using the JBI meta-aggregative approach.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Seven studies were included in this review. Participants were people either with or without trachoma. A total of 90 findings were extracted, from which 10 categories were produced and three synthesized findings derived from the categories. The synthesized findings are: understanding and awareness of trachoma influences perceptions of treatment and preventive methods; beliefs and behaviors influence treatment options; economic constraints, socio-cultural beliefs, and risk perceptions influence prevention behaviors and practices.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Various perceptions and practices relating to trachoma exist among community members in Africa. These perceptions and practices are influenced by knowledge, cultural beliefs, economic factors, and environmental factors. The findings suggest the need for decision-makers in policy and practice to consider and include these perceptions and practices when designing interventions to combat trachoma in endemic countries. However, due to the limited number of included studies and their methodological weaknesses, more high-quality studies are needed to have a deeper and broader view on these perceptions and practices.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.11124\/jbies-21-00401","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,6]],"date-time":"2022-09-06T06:01:55Z","timestamp":1662444115000},"page":"2445-2474","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/lww.0000000000001000","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Perceptions and practices of community members relating to trachoma in Africa: a qualitative systematic review"],"prefix":"10.11124","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Asahngwa Constantine","family":"Tanywe","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anthropology, University of Yaounde, Cameroon"},{"name":"The Cameroon Centre for Evidence Based Health Care: A JBI Centre of Excellence, Yaounde, Cameroon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Heidi","family":"Green","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Research in Nursing and Health, St George Hospital, Kogarah, NSW Australia"},{"name":"Centre for Evidence Based Initiatives in Health Care: A JBI Centre of Excellence, Wollongong, NSW, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ritin","family":"Fernandez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Research in Nursing and Health, St George Hospital, Kogarah, NSW Australia"},{"name":"Centre for Evidence Based Initiatives in Health Care: A JBI Centre of Excellence, Wollongong, NSW, Australia"},{"name":"School of Nursing, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"276","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"R1-20250613","first-page":"1458","article-title":"The history of trachoma and current prevalence (spotlight on Iran): a review article","volume":"47","author":"Yaghoobi","year":"2018","journal-title":"Iran J Public Health"},{"key":"R3-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"904","DOI":"10.1136\/bjophthalmol-2019-315777","article-title":"National approaches to trichiasis surgical follow-up, outcome assessment and surgeon audit in trachoma-endemic countries in Africa","volume":"105","author":"Mwangi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Br J Ophthalmol"},{"key":"R4-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"673","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-3156.2010.02521.x","article-title":"Epidemiology and control of trachoma: systematic review","volume":"15","author":"Hu","year":"2010","journal-title":"Trop Med Int Health"},{"key":"R5-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e66","DOI":"10.1590\/s1678-9946202163066","article-title":"Flies as possible vectors of inflammatory trachoma transmission in a Brazilian municipality","volume":"63","author":"Meneghim","year":"2021","journal-title":"Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo"},{"key":"R6-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e583","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0000583","article-title":"Active trachoma among children in Mali: clustering and environmental risk factors","volume":"4","author":"H\u00e4gi","year":"2010","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"R7-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0004719","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0004719","article-title":"What is next for NTDs in the era of the sustainable development goals?","volume":"10","author":"Smith","year":"2016","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"R8-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0004859","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0004859","article-title":"Blinding trachoma: systematic review of rates and risk factors for progressive disease","volume":"10","author":"Ramadhani","year":"2016","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"R10-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1939","DOI":"10.2147\/OPTH.S302646","article-title":"Uptake of trachoma trichiasis surgery and associated factors among trichiasis-diagnosed clients in Southern Tigray, Ethiopia","volume":"15","author":"Adafrie","year":"2021","journal-title":"Clin Ophthalmol"},{"key":"R11-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"451","DOI":"10.1097\/ICU.0000000000000504","article-title":"Trachoma elimination, approaching 2020","volume":"29","author":"Diab","year":"2018","journal-title":"Curr Opin Ophthalmol"},{"issue":"(9)","key":"R12-20250613","first-page":"CD001860","article-title":"Antibiotics for trachoma","author":"Evans","year":"2019","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Syst Rev"},{"issue":"(6)","key":"R13-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"979","DOI":"10.1093\/cid\/ciab193","article-title":"Targeted antibiotics for trachoma: a cluster-randomized trial","volume":"73","author":"Melo","year":"2021","journal-title":"Clin Infect Dis"},{"key":"R15-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"92","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tmaid.2012.01.005","article-title":"Targeting trachoma: Strategies to reduce the leading infectious cause of blindness","volume":"10","author":"Baneke","year":"2012","journal-title":"Travel Med Infect Dis"},{"key":"R16-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0009727","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0009727","article-title":"Implementing trachoma control programmes in marginalised populations in Tanzania: a qualitative study exploring the experiences and perspectives of key stakeholders","volume":"15","author":"Tsang","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"R17-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1570646","DOI":"10.1080\/16549716.2019.1570646","article-title":"Factors shaping the implementation of the SAFE strategy for trachoma using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research: a systematic review","volume":"12","author":"Maritim","year":"2019","journal-title":"Glob Health Action"},{"key":"R19-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.1002\/9781119415961.ch12","article-title":"Trachoma","author":"Harding-Esch","year":"2019","journal-title":"Water and sanitation-related diseases and the changing environment: challenges, interventions, and preventive measures"},{"key":"R20-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"291","DOI":"10.1093\/inthealth\/ihu054","article-title":"\u2018A living death\u2019: a qualitative assessment of quality of life among women with trichiasis in rural Niger","volume":"6","author":"Palmer","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int Health"},{"key":"R21-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"985","DOI":"10.1016\/j.trstmh.2009.03.012","article-title":"The excess burden of trachomatous trichiasis in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"103","author":"Cromwell","year":"2009","journal-title":"Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg"},{"issue":"(6)","key":"R22-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0007508","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0007508","article-title":"Knowledge, perceptions and experiences of trachoma among Maasai in Tanzania: implications for prevention and control","volume":"13","author":"Mtuy","year":"2019","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"R23-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"190","DOI":"10.3109\/09286586.2015.1036889","article-title":"Health beliefs and perceptions of trachoma in communities on the Bijagos archipelago of Guinea Bissau","volume":"22","author":"Thompson","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ophthalmic Epidemiol"},{"key":"R24-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s40794-016-0029-6","article-title":"Knowledge, practices and perceptions of trachoma and its control among communities of Narok County, Kenya","volume":"2","author":"Njomo","year":"2016","journal-title":"Trop Dis Travel Med Vaccines"},{"key":"R25-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"953","DOI":"10.2165\/00003495-200969080-00002","article-title":"Strategies to control trachoma","volume":"69","author":"Mathew","year":"2009","journal-title":"Drugs"},{"issue":"(11)","key":"R26-20250613","first-page":"CD004008","article-title":"Interventions for trachoma trichiasis","author":"Burton","year":"2015","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Syst Rev"},{"key":"R27-20250613","article-title":"Chapter 2: Systematic reviews of qualitative evidence [internet]","author":"Lockwood","year":"2020","journal-title":"JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis"},{"key":"R28-20250613","first-page":"2350","article-title":"Perceptions and practices of community members relating to trachoma in Africa: a qualitative systematic review protocol","volume":"17","author":"Tanywe","year":"2019","journal-title":"JBI Evid Synth"},{"key":"R29-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"648106","DOI":"10.1155\/2013\/648106","article-title":"Will the SAFE strategy be sufficient to eliminate trachoma by 2020? Puzzlements and possible solutions","volume":"2013","author":"Lavett","year":"2013","journal-title":"ScientificWorldJournal"},{"key":"R30-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclinepi.2021.02.003","article-title":"Updating guidance for reporting systematic reviews: development of the PRISMA 2020 statement","volume":"134","author":"Page","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Clin Epidemiol"},{"issue":"(3)","key":"R31-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1097\/XEB.0000000000000062","article-title":"Qualitative research synthesis: methodological guidance for systematic reviewers utilizing meta-aggregation","volume":"13","author":"Lockwood","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int J Evid Based Healthc"},{"key":"R32-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2288-14-108","article-title":"Establishing confidence in the output of qualitative research synthesis: the ConQual approach","volume":"14","author":"Munn","year":"2014","journal-title":"BMC Med Res Methodol"},{"issue":"(6)","key":"R33-20250613","first-page":"1","article-title":"Understanding hard-to-reach communities: local perspectives and experiences of trachoma control among the pastoralist Maasai in northern Tanzania","volume":"53","author":"Mtuy","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Biosoc Sci"},{"issue":"(9)","key":"R34-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"656","DOI":"10.1016\/j.trstmh.2005.03.006","article-title":"Acceptability of azithromycin for the control of trachoma in Northern Tanzania","author":"Desmond","year":"2005","journal-title":"Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg"},{"issue":"(2\u20133)","key":"R35-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"163","DOI":"10.1076\/opep.8.2.163.4161","article-title":"Understanding the community perspectives of trachoma: The Gambia as a case study","volume":"8","author":"Ajewole","year":"2001","journal-title":"Ophthalmic Epidemiol"},{"issue":"(10)","key":"R36-20250613","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0005099","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0005099","article-title":"\u2018If an eye is washed properly, it means it would see clearly\u2019: a mixed methods study of face washing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in rural Ethiopia","volume":"10","author":"Aiemjoy","year":"2016","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"R37-20250613","first-page":"435","article-title":"Trustworthiness in qualitative research","volume":"25","author":"Connelly","year":"2016","journal-title":"Medsurg Nurs"}],"container-title":["JBI Evidence Synthesis"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ovid.com\/10.11124\/JBIES-21-00401","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,11]],"date-time":"2026-08-11T12:33:20Z","timestamp":1786451600000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ovid.com\/10.11124\/JBIES-21-00401"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,15]]},"references-count":33,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.11124\/jbies-21-00401","relation":{},"ISSN":["2689-8381"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2689-8381","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,6,15]]}}}