Racial/ethnic differences in age-related maculopathy. Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of age-related maculopathy in three racial/ethnic groups, non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, and Mexican Americans.


METHODS
People 40 years of age or older who participated in a nationally representative population-based sample of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were examined from 1988 to 1991. Age-related maculopathy was determined by grading of fundus photographs using a standardized protocol for a sample of 4007 persons.


RESULTS
The prevalence of any age-related maculopathy in the civilian noninstitutionalized United States population including those 40 years of age or older was 9.2% as estimated from the sample. Prevalence was higher in non-Hispanic whites (9.3%) compared with non-Hispanic blacks (7.4%) and Mexican Americans (7.1%). Before 60 years of age, Mexican Americans (odds ratio [OR], 1.53; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-2.35) and non-Hispanic blacks (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 0.86-2.95) had a greater chance of having any maculopathy than non-Hispanic whites; thereafter, Mexican Americans (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.44-0.90) and non-Hispanic blacks (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.37-0.68) had a lesser chance than non-Hispanic whites.


CONCLUSIONS
These survey data indicate that age-related maculopathy is prevalent in all groups studied. Differences among the racial/ethnic groups vary by age and sex.
Klein
R
R
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison.
Rowland
M L
ML
Harris
M I
MI
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044383:Black People; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000473:pathology; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010781:Photography; D015995:Prevalence; D044469:Racial Groups; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American