Self-reported use of eye care among Latinos: the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the prevalence and determinants of self-reported eye care use in Latinos.


METHODS
Population-based ocular epidemiologic study in Latinos aged 40+ years living in La Puente, California.


METHODS
A total of 5455 participants.


METHODS
Univariate, multivariable, and stepwise logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify predisposing, enabling, and need variables associated with self-reported eye care use.


METHODS
Prevalence of self-reported use: eye care visit, having had a dilated examination in the past 12 months, ever having had a dilated examination, and odds ratios for factors associated with self-reported use.


RESULTS
Overall, 36% of participants reported an eye care visit and 19% reported having a dilated examination in the past year. Fifty-seven percent reported ever having had a dilated eye examination. Greater eye care use was associated with older age, female gender, bilingual language proficiency (English and Spanish), more education, having health insurance, having a usual place for care, having a regular provider of care, a greater number of comorbidities, visual impairment, and lower vision-specific quality of life scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Multiple modifiable factors are associated with greater use and access to eye care for Latinos. Modification of these factors should be a priority because visual impairment has significant impacts on well-being and mortality.
Morales
Leo S
LS
Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
Varma
Rohit
R
Paz
Sylvia H
SH
Lai
Mei Ying
MY
Mazhar
Kashif
K
Andersen
Ronald M
RM
Azen
Stanley P
SP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012650:Self Disclosure; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014787:Vision Tests