Nonmetro residence and impaired vision among elderly Americans.

TitleNonmetro residence and impaired vision among elderly Americans.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2004
AuthorsJohnson, NE
JournalJ Rural Health
Volume20
Issue2
Pagination142-50
Date Published2004 Spring
ISSN Number0890-765X
KeywordsAged, Aged, 80 and over, Cardiovascular Diseases, Cataract, Chronic disease, Comorbidity, Diabetes Mellitus, Humans, Hypertension, Prevalence, Risk Assessment, Rural Health, United States, Urban Health, Vision Disorders
Abstract

PURPOSE: Nonmetro and metro elderly people are contrasted in their risk of having (relative to lacking) an impairment in distance vision and in near vision.

METHODS: Using the 1995-1996 panel (Wave 2) of the Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) Survey, the prevalence of 5 eye-threatening conditions (cardiovascular disease, cataract, diabetes, glaucoma, and hypertension), a variety of medical treatments for these conditions, the number of talks/visits with doctors in the 2 years before Wave 2, and several relevant demographic characteristics of the 6,817 respondents were controlled.

FINDINGS: Nonmetro and metro elders have the same risk of impairment in distance vision. After controlling for other factors, nonmetro elders have a higher risk than their metro peers of an uncorrected impairment in near vision (probably presbyopia).

CONCLUSIONS: Nonmetro elders may confront more impediments to updating their corrective lenses for presbyopia. Implications for public health policy are discussed.

DOI10.1111/j.1748-0361.2004.tb00021.x
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15085628?dopt=Abstract

Endnote Keywords

Visually Impaired Persons/Residential Segregation

Endnote ID

12862

Alternate JournalJ Rural Health
Citation Key6942
PubMed ID15085628