Vision and self-rated health: longitudinal findings from an older Australian population.
OBJECTIVE
To assess temporal associations between vision and self-rated health.


METHODS
We examined 3654 Australian residents (82.4% response) aged 49+ years in the Blue Mountains Eye Study, during 1992 to 1994, and re-examined 2334 in 1997 to 1999. Change in vision was defined if baseline and 5-year visual acuity (VA) changed by > or =10 letters (2 lines). Change in self-rated health was defined if overall health ranking (excellent, good, fair, poor) changed by > or =1 step.


RESULTS
Of 2285 participants with data from both examinations, 59.8%, 23.9%, and 16.3% reported unchanged, declined, and improved self-rated health, respectively. Among persons whose self-rated health declined, the proportions with a decline in presenting VA, no change, or improvement were similar (25.2%, 23.8% and 22.5%, respectively, p for trend = 0.5). Among participants with decline, no change, or improvement in self-rated health, a similar magnitude in the age-sex adjusted mean VA decline (-1.0 to -2.7 letters) was observed. After adjusting for age, sex, hospitalizations, and incident chronic conditions, declining VA was not associated with increased decline in 5-year self-rated health (multivariate-adjusted odds ratio 0.99, 95% CI 0.75-1.30).


CONCLUSIONS
There were no parallel 5-year changes in self-rated health and vision in this population.
Tay
Tien
T
Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia.
Wang
Jie Jin
JJ
Rochtchina
Elena
E
Mitchell
Paul
P
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D012650:Self Disclosure; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data