Abstract
Abstract
Objective
To determine the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and visual impairment (VI) or blindness in the rural Peruvian Amazon, hypothesizing that higher SES would have a protective effect on the odds of VI or blindness.
Methods
In this cross-sectional study of 16 rural communities in the Peruvian Amazon, consenting adults aged ≥ 50 years were recruited from ~30 randomly selected households per village. Each household was administered a questionnaire and had a SES score constructed using principal components analysis. Blindness and VI were determined using a ministry of health 3-meter visual acuity card.
Results
Overall, 207 adults aged ≥ 50 were eligible; 146 (70.5%) completed visual acuity screening and answered the questionnaire. Of those 146 participants who completed presenting visual acuity screening, 57 (39.0%, 95% CI 30.2–47.1) were classified as visually impaired and 6 (4.1%, 95% CI 0.9–7.3) as blind. Belonging to the highest SES tercile had a protective effect on VI or blindness (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.91, p = 0.034), with a linear trend across decreasing levels of SES (p = 0.019). This observed effect remained significant regardless of how SES groups were assigned.
Conclusion
Belonging to a higher SES group resulted in a lower odds of VI or blindness compared to those in the lowest SES group. The observation of a dose response provides confidence in the observed association, but causality remains unclear. Blindness prevention programs could maximize impact by designing activities that specifically target people with lower SES.
Funder
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | Fogarty International Center
Research to Prevent Blindness
That Man May See
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Reference37 articles.
1. Bourne RRA, Flaxman SR, Braithwaite T, Cicinelli MV, Das A, Jonas JB, et al. Magnitude, temporal trends, and projections of the global prevalence of blindness and distance and near vision impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2017;5:e888–97.
2. Bourne RRA, Stevens GA, White RA, Smith JL, Flaxman SR, Price H, et al. Causes of vision loss worldwide, 1990–2010: a systematic analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2013;1:e339–49.
3. Zheng Y, Lamoureux E, Finkelstein E, Wu R, Lavanya R, Chua D, et al. Independent impact of area-level socioeconomic measures on visual impairment. Investig Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011;52:8799–805.
4. Rius A, Guisasola L, Sabidó M, Leasher JL, Moriña D, Villalobos A, et al. Prevalence of visual impairment in El Salvador: inequalities in educational level and occupational status. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2014;36:290–9.
5. Yan X, Chen L, Yan H. Socio-economic status, visual impairment and the mediating role of lifestyles in developed rural areas of China. PLoS ONE. 2019;14:e0215329.