Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #102798

Mitchell Rubin, MD, Departments of Pediatrics and Community & Preventive Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 3 Washington Square Village, #14B, New York, NY 10012, 212-822-7383, rubinmitchell@gmail.com, Martin Grossman, Lions Club International, 5A South Maple Avenue, Park Ridge, NJ 07656, Cheryl Pasternack, Grants Management, Lincoln Hospital Medical Center, 234 East 149th Street, Bronx, NY 10451, Steve Peterson, President, Prevent Blindness Tri-State, 984 Southford Road, Middlebury, CT 06762, Paul Armor, Vice-President, Prevent Blindness Tri-State, 984 Southford Road, Middlebury, CT 06762, Eugene Wong, Vice District Governor, Lions Club International, 96-11 65th Road, Rego Park, NY 11374, and Walid Michelen, MD, Chief of Staff, Lincoln Hospital Medical Center, 234 East 149th Street, Bronx, NY 10451.

Prevalence of vision disorders, the most common chronic medical condition in childhood, increases with age. While refractive errors are most common among preschoolers (3-5 year olds), other problems such as amblyopia and strabismus require early detection and treatment to avoid irreversible deficits. Recent NHIS data reveals 2.4 million American preschoolers (10.5%) affected by vision disorders. Although it has been determined that in qualified hands, vision screening in preschoolers has a 90% specificity rate, fewer than 22% of such children receive any type of vision screening and only 5-14% receive an eye examination. The impact of poverty on general health and development of children is commonly acknowledged, however the relationship of social disadvantage and visual health has not been thoroughly explored. To that end, this paper examines a systematic approach and results from visual screening, referral, treatment and compliance in low-income multi-ethnic preschoolers in NYC. NYC Vision Coalition, employing culturally competent case managers, certified screening personnel and eye care specialists, studied 3-5 year olds attending day care programs in Chinatown (Chinese) and the South Bronx (Hispanic, African-American) neighborhoods of New York City. These communities share the highest rates of poverty there (40% in Chinatown, 28% in the South Bronx). Screening of 1037 children, utilizing precision (Lea) and stereo optics (Random Dot E) or, if unable, MTI Photoscreeners, revealed 228 (22%) failures (over twice that expected based on national rates) who were then referred for formal examination. We explore this apparent relationship between poverty and visual health.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Cite the overall prevalence and types of vision deficits in preschool children in the U.S.
• Describe the two lowest income regions in New York City.
• Describe visual screening, referral and follow-up protocols performed on said inner city preschool communities by the NYC Vision Coalition.
• Based on the higher than expected prevalence of visual deficits in these children, explore further investigations supporting the relationship between poverty and visual deficits in preschool populations.

Keywords: Vision Care, Poverty

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation