Academic Journal

Association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported fall-related injury among adults aged ≥ 65 years from five low- and middle-income countries

Bibliographic Details
Title: Association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported fall-related injury among adults aged ≥ 65 years from five low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Smith, Lee, López Sánchez, Guillermo F, Veronese, Nicola, Soysal, Pinar, Tully, Mark A, Gorely, Trish, Allen, Peter M, Rahmati, Masoud, Yon, Dong Keon, Ball, Graham, Butler, Laurie, Keyes, Helen, Barnett, Yvonne, Shin, Jae Il, Koyanagi, Ai
Source: Smith, L, López Sánchez, G F, Veronese, N, Soysal, P, Tully, M A, Gorely, T, Allen, P M, Rahmati, M, Yon, D K, Ball, G, Butler, L, Keyes, H, Barnett, Y, Shin, J I & Koyanagi, A 2024, 'Association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported fall-related injury among adults aged ≥ 65 years from five low- and middle-income countries', Eye, vol. 38, no. 15, pp. 2920-2925. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-03181-3
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: University of the Highlands and Islands: Research Database of UHI
Subject Terms: Humans, Accidental Falls/statistics & numerical data, Aged, Female, Male, Cataract/epidemiology, Self Report, Cross-Sectional Studies, Developing Countries, India/epidemiology, Prevalence, China/epidemiology, 80 and over, Russia/epidemiology, Mexico/epidemiology, Ghana/epidemiology, Risk Factors, Vision Disorders/epidemiology
Description: BACKGROUND: Cataracts may increase risk for falls but studies on this topic from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are scarce. Therefore, we examined the cross-sectional association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported injurious falls in nationally representative samples of adults aged ≥ 65 years from five LMICs (China, Ghana, India, Mexico, and Russia). METHODS: Data from the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) were analysed. Self-reported information on past 12-month fall-related injury and cataract based on symptoms were collected. Multivariable logistic regression and meta-analyses were conducted to assess associations. RESULTS: Data on 13,101 people aged ≥ 65 years were analysed [mean (SD) age 72.5 (11.3) years; 45.2% males]. The overall prevalence of self-reported fall-related injury and visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) were 4.9% and 29.4%, respectively. There was a positive association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and fall-related injury (i.e., OR > 1) in all five countries but statistical significance was reached in three: China (OR = 1.60; 95% CI = 1.08-2.35), India (OR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.15-3.35), and Russia (OR = 3.58; 95% CI = 2.06-6.24). The pooled OR including all five countries based on a meta-analysis was OR = 1.88 (95% CI = 1.32-2.68). CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) were associated with higher odds for self-reported injurious falls among older adults in LMICs. Expanding availability of cataract surgery in LMICs may also have the additional benefit of reducing falls among older people.
Document Type: article in journal/newspaper
Language: English
ISSN: 0950-222X
1476-5454
Relation: info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/pmid/38879598; info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/pissn/0950-222X; info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/eissn/1476-5454
DOI: 10.1038/s41433-024-03181-3
Availability: https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/1704088e-e0bf-4322-947e-efd0174a898f
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-03181-3
Rights: info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess ; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Accession Number: edsbas.3C973F66
Database: BASE
Description
ISSN:0950222X
14765454
DOI:10.1038/s41433-024-03181-3