The prognostic value of sensory impairment in older persons.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationships between visual and hearing impairment and subsequent functional dependence and mortality among community-dwelling older persons.


METHODS
A Prospective, cohort study.


METHODS
Community-based.


METHODS
A total of 5444 men and women aged 55 to 74 years at baseline.


METHODS
Self-reported and measured visual impairment, self-reported and measured hearing impairment, self-reported and measured combined sensory impairment, 10-year mortality, and dependency in activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental ADL (IADL), and Rosow-Breslau (RB) function.


RESULTS
In multiply-adjusted models, adjusting for length of follow-up, socio-demographic characteristics, and chronic conditions, only measured visual impairment was predictive of mortality. Measured visual impairment was also predictive of 10-year ADL and IADL dependence; measured hearing impairment was predictive of RB dependence. Self-reported visual impairment predicted functional impairment on all scales at 10 years, although self-reported hearing impairment predicted only subsequent RB dependence. Measured combined impairment was associated with the highest risk of 10-year functional dependence.


CONCLUSIONS
Sensory impairment is predictive of subsequent functional impairment in older persons.
Reuben
D B
DB
UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Mui
S
S
Damesyn
M
M
Moore
A A
AA
Greendale
G A
GA
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D044465:White People