Open AccessFunctional Associations of “Trouble Seeing”
Author(s) -
Kington Raynard,
Rogowski Jeanette,
Lillard Lee,
Lee Paul P.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of general internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.746
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 1525-1497
pISSN - 0884-8734
DOI - 10.1046/j.1525-1497.1997.00018.x
Subject(s) - medicine , attrition , affect (linguistics) , gerontology , optometry , psychology , communication , dentistry
The purpose of this study was to determine how vision problems affect health status. The information was collected in 1990 from 2,249 household heads and spouses over 50 years of age during an annual survey of a nationally representative sample that was adjusted for attrition and nonresponse. Vision problems were defined as “trouble seeing (even with glasses or contact lenses).” Health status was measured principally with the Medical Outcomes Study Short‐Form 36. Regression analyses found a significant relationship between “trouble seeing” and each of five health‐status domains. We conclude that it may not be appropriate to require specific functional limitations as a precondition for cataract surgery and that instruments for measuring functional disabilities related to vision should include more general questions.