Prevalence of Cataract and Its Association with Sociodemographic Factors, Health-Related Conditions, and ABO Blood Groups in Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria

Background and aims: The increaing prevalence of cataracts in Nigeria necessitates improved preventive strategies. Accordingly, this study assessed the prevalence of cataracts and their association with sociodemographic factors, comorbidities, and ABO blood groups in Birnin Kebbi. Methods: A structured checklist was used to collect data from the medical records of 233 patients who attended the ophthalmology unit of two medical facilities between June 5, 2023, and June 5, 2024. Descriptive statistics were utilized to present data as frequencies and percentages. Moreover, chi-square tests and binary logistic regression were employed to test associations between cataract and explanatory variables at the 5% significance level. Results: The overall prevalence of cataract was 23% (54 participants). In addition, binary logistic regression revealed that age was the strongest predictor of cataracts. Individuals aged 55–64 were nearly six times more likely to have cataracts than those aged≤44 (OR=5.82, 95% CI: 2.10–16.14, P<0.001). Furthermore, male gender was significantly associated with increased risk (OR=1.88, 95% CI: 1.01–3.51, P=0.042). Comorbidities, including diabetes (OR=3.49), hypertension (OR=2.86), and glaucoma (OR=2.64), were significant predictors (P<0.05). Moreover, family history of cataract demonstrated the strongest effect, increasing the odds nearly 18-fold (OR=17.6, 95% CI: 4.44–69.9, P<0.001). Finally, ABO blood group, education, ethnicity, and religion were not significantly associated with cataracts. Conclusion: Age, male gender, family history, and comorbidities are independent predictors of cataracts, highlighting the need for targeted prevention and early intervention strategies.