Giulia Ogliari1, Jesper Ryg2,3, Nadeem Qureshi4, Karen Andersen-Ranberg2,3,5, Lasse Lybecker Scheel-Hincke5, Tahir Masud6,2. 1. Department of Health Care for Older People (HCOP), Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Derby Road, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, Nottinghamshire, UK. giulia.ogliari@virgilio.it. 2. Department of Geriatric Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000, Odense, Denmark. 3. Geriatric Research Unit, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000, Odense, Denmark. 4. Division of Primary Care, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. 5. Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winslowvej 9B, 5000, Odense, Denmark. 6. Department of Health Care for Older People (HCOP), Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Derby Road, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To investigate the association between vision and hearing impairment and falls in community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 50 years. METHODS: This is a prospective study on 50,986 participants assessed in Waves 6 and 7 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. At baseline, we recorded socio-demographic data, clinical factors and self-reported vision and hearing impairment. We classified participants as having good vision and hearing, impaired vision, impaired hearing or impaired vision and hearing. We recorded falls in the six months prior to the baseline and 2-year follow-up interviews. The cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between vision and hearing impairment categories and falls were analysed by binary logistic regression models; odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. All analyses were adjusted for socio-demographic and clinical factors. RESULTS: Mean age was 67.1 years (range 50-102). At baseline, participants with impaired vision, impaired hearing, and impaired vision and hearing had an increased falls risk (OR (95% CI)) of 1.34 (1.22-1.49), 1.34 (1.20-1.50) and 1.67 (1.50-1.87), respectively, compared to those with good vision and hearing (all p < 0.001). At follow-up, participants with impaired vision, without or with impaired hearing, had an increased falls risk of 1.19 (1.08-1.31) and 1.33 (1.20-1.49), respectively, compared to those with good vision and hearing (both p < 0.001); hearing impairment was longitudinally associated with falls in middle-aged women. CONCLUSION: Vision impairment was cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with an increased falls risk. This risk was highest in adults with dual sensory impairment.
PURPOSE: To investigate the association between vision and hearing impairment and falls in community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 50 years. METHODS: This is a prospective study on 50,986 participants assessed in Waves 6 and 7 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. At baseline, we recorded socio-demographic data, clinical factors and self-reported vision and hearing impairment. We classified participants as having good vision and hearing, impaired vision, impaired hearing or impaired vision and hearing. We recorded falls in the six months prior to the baseline and 2-year follow-up interviews. The cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between vision and hearing impairment categories and falls were analysed by binary logistic regression models; odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. All analyses were adjusted for socio-demographic and clinical factors. RESULTS: Mean age was 67.1 years (range 50-102). At baseline, participants with impaired vision, impaired hearing, and impaired vision and hearing had an increased falls risk (OR (95% CI)) of 1.34 (1.22-1.49), 1.34 (1.20-1.50) and 1.67 (1.50-1.87), respectively, compared to those with good vision and hearing (all p < 0.001). At follow-up, participants with impaired vision, without or with impaired hearing, had an increased falls risk of 1.19 (1.08-1.31) and 1.33 (1.20-1.49), respectively, compared to those with good vision and hearing (both p < 0.001); hearing impairment was longitudinally associated with falls in middle-aged women. CONCLUSION: Vision impairment was cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with an increased falls risk. This risk was highest in adults with dual sensory impairment.
Authors: Derrick Lopez; Kieran A McCaul; Graeme J Hankey; Paul E Norman; Osvaldo P Almeida; Annette J Dobson; Julie E Byles; Bu B Yeap; Leon Flicker Journal: Maturitas Date: 2011-06-12 Impact factor: 4.342