Health literacy and vision-related quality of life.
BACKGROUND
Non-visual factors influence a person's vision-related quality of life (VRQoL). The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between health literacy and VRQoL in glaucoma patients.


METHODS
One hundred and ninety-five subjects with open-angle glaucoma participated in a cross-sectional patient survey and chart review. Subjects were administered a test of health literacy, an assessment of physical and mental well-being, and an assessment of VRQoL, the National Eye Institute 25-Item Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25). Charts were reviewed for visual acuity and visual field results.


RESULTS
In univariate analyses, older age (p<0.001), non-White race (p<0.001), worse visual acuity (p<0.001), worse visual field scores (p<0.001), lower level of education (p<0.001), worse health literacy (p<0.001) and worse score on the mental health component of the SF-12 (p = 0.005) were associated with worse VFQ-25 scores. In multivariate analyses, only older age was associated with worse total VFQ-25 scores (p<0.001), although the association between health literacy and the VFQ subscale of dependency remained significant (p = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Individuals with a lower health literacy do not appear to have a worse overall VRQoL compared with those with a higher literacy, but worse health literacy is associated with increased dependency.
Muir
K W
KW
Duke University Medical Center, Box 3802, Durham, NC 27710, USA. kelly.muir@duke.edu
Santiago-Turla
C
C
Stinnett
S S
SS
Herndon
L W
LW
Allingham
R R
RR
Challa
P
P
Lee
P P
PP
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D014481:United States; D014792:Visual Acuity