title: The impact of visual impairment on the ability to perform activities of daily living for persons with severe/profound intellectual disability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) as a component of participation is one of the factors that contribute to quality of life. The ability to perform ADL for persons experiencing severe/profound intellectual disability (ID) may be reduced due to their cognitive and physical capacities. However, until recently, the impact of the significantly prevalent visual impairments on the performance of activities of daily living has not yet been revealed within this group.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this prospective cross-sectional study was to investigate the impact of visual impairment on the performance of activities of daily living for persons with a severe/profound intellectual disability.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Barthel Index (BI) and Comfortable Walking Speed (CWS) were used to measure the ability of performing activities of daily living (ADL) in 240 persons with severe/profound ID and having Gross Motor Functioning Classification System (GMFCS) levels I, II or III; this included 120 persons with visual impairment. The impact of visual impairment on ADL was analyzed with linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of the study demonstrated that visual impairment slightly affects the ability of performing activities of daily living (BI) for persons experiencing a severe/profound intellectual disability. GMFCS Levels II or III, profound ID level, and visual impairment each have the effect of lowering BI scores. GMFCS Levels II or III, and profound ID level each have the effect of increasing CWS scores, which indicates a lower walking speed. A main effect of visual impairment is present on CWS, but our results do show a substantive interaction effect between GMFCS level III and visual impairment on Comfortable Walking Speed in persons with a severe/profound intellectual disability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Visual impairment has a slight effect on ability to perform ADL in persons experiencing severe/profound ID.
authors.affiliation: Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, Research and Innovation Group in Health Care and in Nursing, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.dijkhuizen@pl.hanze.nl.
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dijkhuizen
authors.affiliation: Intellectual Disability Medicine, Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Thessa I M
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Hilgenkamp
authors.affiliation: Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, Research and Innovation Group in Health Care and in Nursing, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wim P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Krijnen
authors.affiliation: Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, Research and Innovation Group in Health Care and in Nursing, Groningen, The Netherlands; University Medical Center, Groningen, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cees P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: van der Schans
authors.affiliation: Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, Research and Innovation Group in Health Care and in Nursing, Groningen, The Netherlands; Royal Dutch Visio, Centre of Expertise for Blind and Partially Sighted People, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aly
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Waninge
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D009048:Motor Skills; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology
keywords: A.D.L.; Severe/profound intellectual disability; Visual impairment