Journal article by Nahed Mikki, Ian McCormick, and Islay Mactaggart examining the prevalence of avoidable vision impairment, diabetic retinopathy, and disability in adults aged 50 and above across Gaza and the West Bank, using the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness methodology. The study finds worse results in Gaza than in the West Bank on key measures, though the paper characterizes the Gaza-West Bank diabetes gap (36.3 versus 31.7%) as of borderline statistical significance, with 33.8% of participants overall having diabetes and half of those having diabetic retinopathy, and documents how the cumulative effects of the blockade, limited healthcare access, and under-resourced ophthalmological services contribute to a higher burden of avoidable vision loss in Gaza. Recommended for public health researchers and global health practitioners working on vision health, disability, and aging in conflict-affected populations, with the Gaza-West Bank comparative finding providing important evidence of the blockade's specific health impact and the differential burden of avoidable disability carried by Gaza's aging population.
