A study of various factors affecting Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living in the visually impaired

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Visual impairment patients suffer when performing various physical activities. However, studies investigating factors affecting their practical daily activities are lacking. Therefore, we analyzed how the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) change depending on the level of visual impairment and which factors affect the ADL and IADL of the visually impaired based on big data. Methods The 2020 annual report on disabled people in Korea published by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs was investigated. Using 771 data samples, we evaluated the demographics, degree of visual impairment, duration of illness, various overlapping disabilities, and systemic diseases. We analyzed the effect of ADL and IADL to various factors related to visual impairment. Utilizing R statistical software, technical statistics were conducted. Main outcomes Association between degree of visual impairment and activities of daily living. Results In 2020, the total number of visually impaired people was 252,702, the third largest among registered disabled people in Korea. In terms of sex, the age groups were similar, but the percentage of visually impaired women in their 80s was about twice that of men. The more severe the visual impairment, the harder it was to perform activities of daily life except for swallowing and changing position while lying down. Differences in ADL and IADL according to age of onset of visual impairment were not significantly different except for changing position while lying down (p = 0.035). Duration of illness did not affect the ADL and IADL. The most common combined disability was hearing problems. ADL and IADL tended to worsen as patients had more chronic illnesses. In multivariate analysis, the degree of visual impairment, age of onset, and hepatitis B among systemic diseases were found to affect ADL and IADL. Conclusions and Relevance The degree of visual impairment and accompanying systemic diseases were significantly related components. By analyzing detailed factors related to the daily activities of the visually impaired, we can understand their lives in more detail and therefore provide more practical support.