Photo Credit: Bill Oxford

The following is a summary of “Barriers and Facilitators of Implementing a Community and Faith-Based Intervention to Increase Eye Care Utilization in Black Americans,” published in the May 2025 issue of American Journal of Ophthalmology by Alexis et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to identify determinants that contributed to the successful implementation of a community-based intervention aimed at increasing eye care utilization among individuals at high risk for glaucoma.  

They performed a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with community members in Detroit, Michigan, at a trusted local site. Participants included Black Americans aged 40 years and older and the interviews followed a semi-structured format to explore experiences and perspectives. A codebook of themes was created through an iterative process. Data were analyzed using Dedoose (qualitative analysis software).  

The results showed that narrative themes were grouped under 2 main categories: barriers and facilitators. A total of 15 themes were identified as barriers, while 14 themes were noted as facilitators. All reported barriers and facilitators aligned with 1 or more domains within the social determinants of health model (social determinants of health model).  

Investigators concluded that recognizing facilitators and removing barriers to eye care within Black and low-income communities was crucial for the successful implementation of interventions aimed at increasing eye care utilization. 

Source: ajo.com/article/S0002-9394(25)00238-7/abstract