Factors related to vision care in an older adult cohort.
OBJECTIVE
This study provides cross-sectional data on eye care utilization in a community-based adult population.


METHODS
Data are from a questionnaire administered during the 7-year follow-up of the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study in 2000 to 2002. Participants in the population-based Beaver Dam Eye Study were eligible for the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study, which began in 1997. The primary outcome was self-reported vision testing within the past year.


RESULTS
Subject ages ranged from 55 to 99 years (n = 2433), and 60.4% were female. Fifty-three percent of subjects reported they had their vision tested in the past year. Diabetes was self-reported by 11.5% of subjects, and 70.9% of diabetic participants had their vision tested in the past year. A current hospitalization or health insurance plan was reported by 98.6% of subjects. In multivariate analyses, self-reported factors significantly associated with having a vision test in the past year were female gender (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06-1.52), current use of refractive correction for distance (OR = 1.98; 95% CI 1.56-2.52), glaucoma (OR = 3.52; 95% CI 2.37-5.24), cataract surgery (OR = 1.57; 95% CI 1.21-2.03), age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) (OR = 1.74; 95% CI 1.22-2.47), diabetes (OR = 2.46; 95% CI 1.83-3.31), visiting a primary care practitioner for any reason in the past year (OR = 1.72; 95% CI 1.32-2.25), having a hearing test in the past year (OR = 1.79; 95% CI 1.40-2.28), and the cessation of driving because of poor vision (OR = 1.64; 95% CI 1.16-2.52). In participants 65 years of age or older, having private insurance was associated with increased odds (OR = 3.39, 95% CI 1.82-6.31) of vision testing in the past year.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that chronic ocular conditions, diabetes, health insurance beyond government entitlements, and the use of other healthcare services are associated with increased eye care utilization.
Puent
Brian D
BD
The University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Population Health Sciences, Madison, WI 53726, USA. puent@epi.ophth.wisc.edu
Klein
Barbara E K
BE
Klein
Ronald
R
Cruickshanks
Karen J
KJ
Nondahl
David M
DM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D014787:Vision Tests; D014792:Visual Acuity