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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

R. Norman Bailey, OD, MBA, MPH, College of Optometry, University of Houston, 505 J. Davis Armistead Building, Houston, TX 77204-2020, 713-743-1916, nbailey@uh.edu

Background- Visual impairment, a chronic and serious condition, is one of the ten most common causes of disability in the U.S. More than 3.4 million Americans aged 40 and older are either blind or visually impaired. Objective(s)- This presentation examines visual impairment and access to eye care for persons fifty years and older, as reported by selected states in 2005 and 2006. Method(s) – The “Visual Impairment and Access to Eye Care” optional module, which was utilized as part of the 2005 and 2006 statewide BRFSS telephone surveys in several states, is the source of data for this presentation. Result(s) – Early results, representing 2005 data from five states, indicate a significant percentage of respondents self reporting some degree of visual impairment. Approximately one-third had not visited any eye care professional in the past year citing cost and insurance concerns as the primary reason. The self-reported prevalence of cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy by the survey respondents will be addressed. Conclusion(s) – The importance of the vision module in assessing the burden of visual impairment and lack of access to eye care at the state level will be supported by the data. These data also justify continued improvements to public health prevention and control efforts aimed at addressing these concerns.

Learning Objectives:

• To compare the results between the states, to identify directions for further study, and to understand the problems of access to eye and vision care for older adults.

Keywords: Vision Care, Public Health Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation