Prevalence and associated factors of traditional eyelash epilation among patients with trachomatous trichiasis in South Ethiopia

Prevalence and associated factors of traditional eyelash epilation among patients with trachomatous trichiasis in South Ethiopia. Download PDF Abstract Trachoma remains the leading infectious cause of blindness globally, with Ethiopia bearing the highest disease burden. Trachomatous trichiasis (TT), the advanced stage of trachoma, requires surgical correction to prevent irreversible blindness.

Many affected patients rely on traditional eyelash epilation as an alternative to surgery. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of traditional eyelash epilation and identify factors associated with its practice among TT patients in South Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted using baseline data from a cluster randomized controlled trial carried out in selected woredas, in South Ethiopia, in 2026.

A total of 464 adult TT patients were included through multistage cluster sampling across 58 kebeles. Data were collected using interviewer-administered structured questionnaires and clinical eye examination. Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with traditional eyelash epilation, accounting for clustering at the kebele level.

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