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Nonmetro Residence and Impaired Vision Among Elderly Americans
Author(s) -
Johnson Nan E.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the journal of rural health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.439
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1748-0361
pISSN - 0890-765X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1748-0361.2004.tb00021.x
Subject(s) - residence , presbyopia , visual impairment , medicine , gerontology , glaucoma , optometry , metropolitan area , demography , ophthalmology , psychiatry , pathology , sociology
Purpose: Nonmetro and metro elderly people are contrasted in their risk of having (relative to lacking) an impairment in distance vision and in near vision. Methods: Using the 1995–1996 panel (Wave 2) of the Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) Survey, the prevalence of 5 eye‐threatening conditions (cardiovascular disease, cataract, diabetes, glaucoma, and hypertension), a variety of medical treatments for these conditions, the number of talks/visits with doctors in the 2 years before Wave 2, and several relevant demographic characteristics of the 6,817 respondents were controlled. Findings: Nonmetro and metro elders have the same risk of impairment in distance vision. After controlling for other factors, nonmetro elders have a higher risk than their metro peers of an uncorrected impairment in near vision (probably presbyopia). Conclusions: Nonmetro elders may confront more impediments to updating their corrective lenses for presbyopia. Implications for public health policy are discussed.