Eye care service utilization in older people seeking aged care.
BACKGROUND
To assess the need for, and the use of eye care services in older people seeking aged care.


METHODS
In total, 188 people (69.1% of those eligible) aged 65+ years who were assessed for aged care provision at Westmead Hospital, Sydney, were recruited in 2003 and re-examined a year later. At baseline, presenting visual acuity (VA) was randomly assessed in half the participants. People with under-corrected refractive error (pinhole VA improved at least 10 letters in those with presenting VA <6/6), bilateral visual impairment (better eye VA <6/12), or self-reported visual problems, were recommended to have further assessment by eye care professionals. At follow up, information on utilization of eye care services in the past 12 months was collected and VA was assessed in all returned participants.


RESULTS
Of the 188 baseline participants, 121 (70% of survivors) were revisited a year later. Overall, 90/121 participants (74%) had seen an eye care professional in the previous year. Of the 66 participants who were recommended to see an eye care professional, 42 (64%) were revisited and 37/42 (88%) complied with the recommendation. At revisit, bilateral visual impairment was found in 49/120 (41%). The proportion with bilateral visual impairment was lower in participants whose vision was assessed at baseline (35%) than in those whose vision was not assessed (47%, P = 0.17), and also lower among people who had visited an eye care professional during the previous 12 months (39%) than those who had not (45%, P = 0.57).


CONCLUSIONS
This pilot study indicates a relatively high need for, and high utilization of eye care services in the subgroup of older people seeking aged care services.
Tay
Tien
T
Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Rochtchina
Elena
E
Mitchell
Paul
P
Lindley
Richard
R
Wang
Jie Jin
JJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D014792:Visual Acuity; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*