Association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported fall-related injury among adults aged ≥ 65 years from five low- and middle-income countries

Lee Smith; Guillermo F López Sánchez; Nicola Veronese; Pinar Soysal; Mark A Tully; Trish Gorely; Peter M Allen; Masoud Rahmati; Dong Keon Yon; Graham Ball; Laurie Butler; Helen Keyes; Yvonne Barnett; Jae Il Shin; Ai Koyanagi

doi:10.1038/s41433-024-03181-3

Association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported fall-related injury among adults aged ≥ 65 years from five low- and middle-income countries

Lee Smith
, Guillermo F López Sánchez
, Nicola Veronese
, Pinar Soysal
, Mark A Tully
, Trish Gorely
, Peter M Allen
, Masoud Rahmati
, Dong Keon Yon
, Graham Ball
, Laurie Butler
, Helen Keyes
, Yvonne Barnett
, Jae Il Shin
, Ai Koyanagi

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

70 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cataracts may increase risk for falls but studies on this topic from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are scarce. Therefore, we examined the cross-sectional association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported injurious falls in nationally representative samples of adults aged ≥ 65 years from five LMICs (China, Ghana, India, Mexico, and Russia).

METHODS: Data from the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) were analysed. Self-reported information on past 12-month fall-related injury and cataract based on symptoms were collected. Multivariable logistic regression and meta-analyses were conducted to assess associations.

RESULTS: Data on 13,101 people aged ≥ 65 years were analysed [mean (SD) age 72.5 (11.3) years; 45.2% males]. The overall prevalence of self-reported fall-related injury and visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) were 4.9% and 29.4%, respectively. There was a positive association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and fall-related injury (i.e., OR > 1) in all five countries but statistical significance was reached in three: China (OR = 1.60; 95% CI = 1.08-2.35), India (OR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.15-3.35), and Russia (OR = 3.58; 95% CI = 2.06-6.24). The pooled OR including all five countries based on a meta-analysis was OR = 1.88 (95% CI = 1.32-2.68).

CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) were associated with higher odds for self-reported injurious falls among older adults in LMICs. Expanding availability of cataract surgery in LMICs may also have the additional benefit of reducing falls among older people.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2920-2925
Number of pages	6
Journal	Eye (London, England)
Volume	38
Issue number	15
Early online date	15 Jun 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-03181-3
Publication status	Published online - 15 Jun 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Royal College of Ophthalmologists 2024.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.

Funding

Dr. Guillermo F. L\u00F3pez S\u00E1nchez is funded by the European Union \u2013 Next Generation EU. This paper uses data from WHO\u2019s Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE). SAGE is supported by the U.S. National Institute on Aging through Interagency Agreements OGHA 04034785, YA1323\u201308-CN-0020, Y1-AG-1005\u201301 and through research grants R01-AG034479 and R21-AG034263.

Funders	Funder number
European Commission
National Institute on Aging	R01-AG034479, YA1323–08-CN-0020, OGHA 04034785, Y1-AG-1005–01, R21-AG034263
National Institute on Aging

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities

Keywords

Lens diseases
Risk factors

Access to Document

10.1038/s41433-024-03181-3

AAM_Association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported fall-related injuryAuthor Accepted Manuscript, 226 KB

Cite this

Smith, L., López Sánchez, G. F., Veronese, N., Soysal, P., Tully, M. A., Gorely, T., Allen, P. M., Rahmati, M., Yon, D. K., Ball, G., Butler, L., Keyes, H., Barnett, Y., Shin, J. I., & Koyanagi, A. (2024). Association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported fall-related injury among adults aged ≥ 65 years from five low- and middle-income countries. Eye (London, England), 38(15), 2920-2925. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-03181-3

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title = "Association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported fall-related injury among adults aged ≥ 65 years from five low- and middle-income countries",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Cataracts may increase risk for falls but studies on this topic from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are scarce. Therefore, we examined the cross-sectional association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported injurious falls in nationally representative samples of adults aged ≥ 65 years from five LMICs (China, Ghana, India, Mexico, and Russia).METHODS: Data from the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) were analysed. Self-reported information on past 12-month fall-related injury and cataract based on symptoms were collected. Multivariable logistic regression and meta-analyses were conducted to assess associations.RESULTS: Data on 13,101 people aged ≥ 65 years were analysed [mean (SD) age 72.5 (11.3) years; 45.2\% males]. The overall prevalence of self-reported fall-related injury and visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) were 4.9\% and 29.4\%, respectively. There was a positive association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and fall-related injury (i.e., OR > 1) in all five countries but statistical significance was reached in three: China (OR = 1.60; 95\% CI = 1.08-2.35), India (OR = 1.96; 95\% CI = 1.15-3.35), and Russia (OR = 3.58; 95\% CI = 2.06-6.24). The pooled OR including all five countries based on a meta-analysis was OR = 1.88 (95\% CI = 1.32-2.68).CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) were associated with higher odds for self-reported injurious falls among older adults in LMICs. Expanding availability of cataract surgery in LMICs may also have the additional benefit of reducing falls among older people.",

keywords = "Lens diseases, Risk factors",

author = "Lee Smith and \{L{\'o}pez S{\'a}nchez\}, \{Guillermo F\} and Nicola Veronese and Pinar Soysal and Tully, \{Mark A\} and Trish Gorely and Allen, \{Peter M\} and Masoud Rahmati and Yon, \{Dong Keon\} and Graham Ball and Laurie Butler and Helen Keyes and Yvonne Barnett and Shin, \{Jae Il\} and Ai Koyanagi",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Royal College of Ophthalmologists 2024.",

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Smith, L, López Sánchez, GF, Veronese, N, Soysal, P, Tully, MA, Gorely, T, Allen, PM, Rahmati, M, Yon, DK, Ball, G, Butler, L, Keyes, H, Barnett, Y, Shin, JI & Koyanagi, A 2024, 'Association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported fall-related injury among adults aged ≥ 65 years from five low- and middle-income countries', Eye (London, England), vol. 38, no. 15, pp. 2920-2925. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-03181-3

Association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported fall-related injury among adults aged ≥ 65 years from five low- and middle-income countries. / Smith, Lee; López Sánchez, Guillermo F; Veronese, Nicola et al.
In: Eye (London, England), Vol. 38, No. 15, 15.06.2024, p. 2920-2925.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported fall-related injury among adults aged ≥ 65 years from five low- and middle-income countries

AU - Smith, Lee

AU - López Sánchez, Guillermo F

AU - Veronese, Nicola

AU - Soysal, Pinar

AU - Tully, Mark A

AU - Gorely, Trish

AU - Allen, Peter M

AU - Rahmati, Masoud

AU - Yon, Dong Keon

AU - Ball, Graham

AU - Butler, Laurie

AU - Keyes, Helen

AU - Barnett, Yvonne

AU - Shin, Jae Il

AU - Koyanagi, Ai

PY - 2024/6/15

Y1 - 2024/6/15

N2 - BACKGROUND: Cataracts may increase risk for falls but studies on this topic from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are scarce. Therefore, we examined the cross-sectional association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported injurious falls in nationally representative samples of adults aged ≥ 65 years from five LMICs (China, Ghana, India, Mexico, and Russia).METHODS: Data from the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) were analysed. Self-reported information on past 12-month fall-related injury and cataract based on symptoms were collected. Multivariable logistic regression and meta-analyses were conducted to assess associations.RESULTS: Data on 13,101 people aged ≥ 65 years were analysed [mean (SD) age 72.5 (11.3) years; 45.2% males]. The overall prevalence of self-reported fall-related injury and visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) were 4.9% and 29.4%, respectively. There was a positive association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and fall-related injury (i.e., OR > 1) in all five countries but statistical significance was reached in three: China (OR = 1.60; 95% CI = 1.08-2.35), India (OR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.15-3.35), and Russia (OR = 3.58; 95% CI = 2.06-6.24). The pooled OR including all five countries based on a meta-analysis was OR = 1.88 (95% CI = 1.32-2.68).CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) were associated with higher odds for self-reported injurious falls among older adults in LMICs. Expanding availability of cataract surgery in LMICs may also have the additional benefit of reducing falls among older people.

AB - BACKGROUND: Cataracts may increase risk for falls but studies on this topic from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are scarce. Therefore, we examined the cross-sectional association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported injurious falls in nationally representative samples of adults aged ≥ 65 years from five LMICs (China, Ghana, India, Mexico, and Russia).METHODS: Data from the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) were analysed. Self-reported information on past 12-month fall-related injury and cataract based on symptoms were collected. Multivariable logistic regression and meta-analyses were conducted to assess associations.RESULTS: Data on 13,101 people aged ≥ 65 years were analysed [mean (SD) age 72.5 (11.3) years; 45.2% males]. The overall prevalence of self-reported fall-related injury and visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) were 4.9% and 29.4%, respectively. There was a positive association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and fall-related injury (i.e., OR > 1) in all five countries but statistical significance was reached in three: China (OR = 1.60; 95% CI = 1.08-2.35), India (OR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.15-3.35), and Russia (OR = 3.58; 95% CI = 2.06-6.24). The pooled OR including all five countries based on a meta-analysis was OR = 1.88 (95% CI = 1.32-2.68).CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) were associated with higher odds for self-reported injurious falls among older adults in LMICs. Expanding availability of cataract surgery in LMICs may also have the additional benefit of reducing falls among older people.

KW - Lens diseases

KW - Risk factors

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85196004481

UR - https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/publications/b7399744-b8d6-46e4-b043-fc286a02c8a3

U2 - 10.1038/s41433-024-03181-3

DO - 10.1038/s41433-024-03181-3

M3 - Article

C2 - 38879598

SN - 0950-222X

VL - 38

SP - 2920

EP - 2925

JO - Eye (London, England)

JF - Eye (London, England)

IS - 15

ER -

Association between self-reported visual symptoms (suggesting cataract) and self-reported fall-related injury among adults aged ≥ 65 years from five low- and middle-income countries

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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