title: Relationship of sociodemographic variables with outcomes after cataract surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to analyse the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics of patients undergoing cataract extraction and their outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The method comprised a prospective cohort study of patients recruited from 17 hospitals of different areas of Spain. Data gathered before surgery included sociodemographic variables, visual acuity, and visual function (using the Visual Function Index-14). After surgery, we assessed visual acuity and visual function at 6 weeks and at 3 months, respectively. Multivariate multilevel analysis was performed to assess the relationship of sociodemographic variables with changes in visual acuity and function, analysing whether improvements surpassed the minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate analysis showed that for visual acuity, (i) older men had a lower odds ratio (OR) of surpassing the MCID (OR: 65-75 years, 0.64; >75 years, 0.51); (ii) those with primary (1.65) or secondary (1.41) education had higher ORs than those with no formal education; and (iii) those living in a residential home had a lower OR than men living alone (0.36). In women, we found that the higher the educational level, the greater the improvement in visual acuity (primary, 1.41; secondary, 1.76), whereas socially dependent women (0.70) were less likely to exceed the MCID. With regards to predictors related to achievement of an MCID in visual function, only dependency was associated with more improvement in men (OR: 1.39), whereas in women the educational level was the only predictor (primary: 0.72; secondary: 0.61).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study found that patients with certain sociodemographic characteristics were less likely to experience an MCID in visual acuity or visual function after cataract surgery.
authors.affiliation: Galdakao-Usansolo Hospital Research Unit, Hospital Galdakao-Usansolo, Unidad de Investigación, Galdakao, Spain. josemaria.quintanalopez@osakidetza.net
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Quintana
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Aguirre
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arteta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Escobar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bare
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Blasco
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martínez-Tapias
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology