Prevalence, Associated Factors and Health-related Quality of Life of Dual Sensory Impairment in Residential Care Facilities in Singapore. (4th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ho, Kam Chun; Fenwick, Eva K; Gupta, Preeti; Gan, Alfred; Loo, Jenny HY; Ma, Lina; Koh, Gerald; Wong, Tien Y; Lamoureux, Ecosse L; Man, Ryan EK
• Is Part Of: Ophthalmic epidemiology. Volume 29:Number 3(2022)
• Page Start: 310
• Page End: 318
• Publication Date: 2022-05-04
• Subjects: Prevalence -- vision impairment -- hearing loss -- dual sensory impairment -- residential care facilities -- nursing home; Blindness -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Eye -- Diseases -- Epidemiology -- Periodicals; Ophthalmology -- Periodicals; 614.5997
• DOI: 10.1080/09286586.2021.1926515
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0928-6586

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of dual sensory impairment (DSI), its associated factors and relationship with health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in residential care facilities (RCF) in Singapore. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 123 residents aged ≥40 years from six RCFs, conducted between 2016 and 2018. DSI was defined as concomitant presenting visual acuity (better-eye) >0.3 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution and a pure-tone air conduction threshold (better-ear) >40 dB HL in any of the four tested frequencies (500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz). HR-QoL was quantified using the EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to determine the associated factors of DSI. Multivariable linear regression was used to determine the association between DSI and HR-QoL adjusted for traditional confounders. Results: Of the 123 residents (age [mean±standard deviation] 75.3 ± 10.8 years; 56.9% male), 97 (78.9%[95% confidence interval(CI):71.6%, 86.1%]) had DSI, with 110 (98.2%) not on follow-up care for their sensory disabilities. In multivariable models, male gender (prevalence ratio(PR) [95%CI] = 1.3[1.1, 1.6]), older age (per 10-year increase (1.2[1.1, 1.3])), education ≤6 years (1.3[1.1, 1.7]) and the presence of cataract (1.3[1.0, 1.7]) were independently associated with DSI. DSI was independently associated with a substantial worsening in HR-QoL (β = −0.61; 95%CI: −0.76, −0.45; p < .001). Conclusions: DSI affects four in five residential care residents and is substantially associated with reductions in HR-QoL in these residents. Our finding highlights an urgent need for the implementation of routine vision and hearing screening and follow-up care for residents living in these facilities.