SAFE strategy is recommended for control of?

WCL Staff Nurse - 2019

Medical & Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: WCL Staff Nurse - 2019

Explanation

Trachoma, as the SAFE strategy is a specific, multi-faceted public health initiative designed by the WHO to eliminate this disease.
SAFE is an acronym that stands for Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, and Environmental improvement.
This integrated approach targets both the treatment of the disease and the environmental and behavioral factors that facilitate its transmission.
Trachoma is a chronic infectious disease caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, which leads to scarring, trichiasis (in-turned eyelashes), and eventually corneal opacity and blindness if untreated.

Option B: Glaucoma management focuses on reducing intraocular pressure to prevent optic nerve damage, using medications, laser therapy, or surgery. It is a non-infectious condition and is not addressed by the SAFE strategy.
Option C: Diabetic retinopathy is a microvascular complication of diabetes. Its control is centered on metabolic management (blood sugar, blood pressure) and retinal treatments like laser photocoagulation or anti-VEGF injections. It is not an infectious disease controlled by the SAFE strategy.
Option D: Cataract is the opacification of the natural lens of the eye, primarily related to aging. The definitive treatment is surgery to remove the cloudy lens and implant an artificial one. The SAFE strategy is irrelevant to cataract management.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain WHO SAFE strategy for Trachoma control as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a vital role in implementing all four components of the SAFE strategy at the community level.
Nursing responsibilities include health education on facial and personal hygiene, participating in mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns for antibiotics, identifying and referring patients with trichiasis for surgery, and advocating for better sanitation and water facilities.
Patient safety during MDA involves ensuring correct dosage (e.g., azithromycin based on height or weight), observing for side effects, and maintaining accurate records.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core term in the question, which is 'SAFE strategy'. This is a specific public health acronym.
Recognize that this is a factual recall question. You need to remember what disease the SAFE strategy is associated with.
Systematically review the options provided: Trachoma, Glaucoma, Diabetic retinopathy, and Cataract.
Recall or deduce the link. The 'A' for Antibiotics and 'F' & 'E' for hygiene and environment strongly suggest an infectious disease transmitted in conditions of poor sanitation, which points directly to Trachoma.
Eliminate the other options based on your knowledge of their pathophysiology and management (e.g., Glaucoma is about pressure, Cataract is about lens opacity, Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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