title: Comorbid visual and cognitive impairment: relationship with disability status and self-rated health among older Singaporeans.
abstract: The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and consequences of coexisting vision and cognitive impairments in an Asian population. Data were collected from 4508 community-dwelling Singaporeans aged 60 years and older. Cognition was assessed by the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire whereas vision, disability, and self-rated health (SRH) were determined by self-report. Vision impairment was present in 902 (18.5%) participants and cognitive impairment in 835 (13.6%), with 232 (3.5%) participants experiencing both impairments. Persons with the comorbidity experienced higher odds of disability than persons with either single impairment. The association of vision impairment with SRH was stronger among women (odds ratio [OR] = 6.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.64-9.92) than among men (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.21-2.41). Concurrent cognitive and vision impairment is prevalent in older Singaporeans and is associated with high rates of disability. Gender differences in vision-dependent roles may affect the patient-perceived impact of this comorbidity.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA Durham VA Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical (GRECC), Durham, NC, USA heather.whitson@duke.edu.
authors.forename: Heather E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Whitson
authors.affiliation: Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore.
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malhotra
authors.affiliation: Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Angelique
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Matchar
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore.
authors.forename: Truls
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Østbye
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*