OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between quality of life measures and sensory impairment in aged individuals living at home. DESIGN: Survey SETTING: A community survey, carried out in the historical center of a town in Northern Italy. PATIENTS: 1191 non-institutionalized elders (age 70-75 years). MEASUREMENTS: Comprehensive QOL questionnaire, free-field voice testing, and Snellen eye chart. RESULTS: Single sensory impairments (either visual or auditory) were significantly and independently associated with increased risk for depression (odds ratio: 2.3, 95% confidence interval: 1.5-3.4; OR:1.8, CI:1.1-2.7, respectively) and decreased self-sufficiency in daily living activities (OR:1.7, CI:1.1-2.6; OR:2.1, CI:1.4-3.2, respectively). Visual dysfunction, but not hearing dysfunction, was independently associated with lower social relationships (OR:2.0, CI:1.3-3.1). CONCLUSION: The quality of life of community-dwelling elderly people is significantly linked to sensory impairment, which can be detected through simple physical examination. Mood level and social relationships are particularly affected by visual impairment, whereas self-sufficiency in daily living is more strongly related to hearing impairment.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between quality of life measures and sensory impairment in aged individuals living at home. DESIGN: Survey SETTING: A community survey, carried out in the historical center of a town in Northern Italy. PATIENTS: 1191 non-institutionalized elders (age 70-75 years). MEASUREMENTS: Comprehensive QOL questionnaire, free-field voice testing, and Snellen eye chart. RESULTS: Single sensory impairments (either visual or auditory) were significantly and independently associated with increased risk for depression (odds ratio: 2.3, 95% confidence interval: 1.5-3.4; OR:1.8, CI:1.1-2.7, respectively) and decreased self-sufficiency in daily living activities (OR:1.7, CI:1.1-2.6; OR:2.1, CI:1.4-3.2, respectively). Visual dysfunction, but not hearing dysfunction, was independently associated with lower social relationships (OR:2.0, CI:1.3-3.1). CONCLUSION: The quality of life of community-dwelling elderly people is significantly linked to sensory impairment, which can be detected through simple physical examination. Mood level and social relationships are particularly affected by visual impairment, whereas self-sufficiency in daily living is more strongly related to hearing impairment.
Authors: Samantha J Kleindienst; David A Zapala; Donald W Nielsen; James W Griffith; Dania Rishiq; Larry Lundy; Sumitrajit Dhar Journal: JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg Date: 2017-10-01 Impact factor: 6.223
Authors: D Diane Zheng; Sharon L Christ; Byron L Lam; Kristopher L Arheart; Anat Galor; David J Lee Journal: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Date: 2012-05-14 Impact factor: 4.799
Authors: Alberto J Caban; David J Lee; Orlando Gómez-Marín; Byron L Lam; D Diane Zheng Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2005-09-29 Impact factor: 9.308