Self-reported vision and hallucinations in older adults: results from two longitudinal US health surveys

Abstract Background Vision loss may be a risk factor for hallucinations, but this has not been studied at the population level. Methods To determine the association between self-reported vision loss and hallucinations in a large community-based sample of older adults, we performed a cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of two large, nationally representative US health surveys: the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Visual impairment and hallucinations were self- or proxy-reported. Multivariate single and mixed effects logistic regression models were built to examine whether visual impairment and history of cataract surgery were associated with hallucinations. Results In NHATS (n = 1520), hallucinations were more prevalent in those who reported difficulty reading newspaper print (OR 1.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.32–2.39) or recognising someone across the street (OR 2.48, 95% CI: 1.86–3.31) after adjusting for confounders. In HRS (n = 3682), a similar association was observed for overall (OR 1.32, 95% CI: 1.08–1.60), distance (OR 1.61, 95% CI: 1.32–1.96) and near eyesight difficulties (OR 1.52, 95% CI: 1.25–1.85). In neither sample was there a significant association between cataract surgery and hallucinations after adjusting for covariates. Conclusions Visual dysfunction is associated with increased odds of hallucinations in the older US adult population. This suggests that the prevention and treatment of vision loss may potentially reduce the prevalence of hallucinations in older adults.

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The Prevalence of Age-Related Eye Diseases and Cataract Surgery among Older Adults in the City of Lodz, Poland

Journal of Ophthalmology ◽

10.1155/2015/605814 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Michal Szymon Nowak ◽

Janusz Smigielski

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cataract Surgery ◽

Eye Diseases ◽

Retinal Diseases ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Age Related ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Caucasian Origin ◽

The City

Purpose.To determine the prevalence of age-related eye diseases and cataract surgery among older adults in the city of Lodz, in central Poland.Material and Methods.The study design was cross-sectional and observational study. A total of 1107 women and men of predominantly Caucasian origin were successfully enumerated and recruited for the study. All selected subjects were interviewed and underwent detailed ophthalmic examinations.Results.Overall 8.04% (95% CI 6.44–9.64) subjects had cataract surgery in either eye. After excluding subjects with bilateral cataract surgery, the prevalence of cataract was 12.10% (95% CI 10.18–14.03). AMD was found in 4.33% (95% CI 3.14–5.54 ) of all subjects. Of them 3.25% (95% CI 2.21–4.30 ) had early AMD and 1.08% (95% CI 0.47–1.69) had late AMD. Various types of glaucoma were diagnosed in 5.51% (95% CI 4.17–6.85) of subjects and 2.62% (95% CI 1.68–3.56) had OHT. The prevalence rates of DR and myopic macular degeneration were 1.72% (95% CI 0.95–2.48) and 0.45% (95% CI 0.06–0.85), respectively. All multiple logistic regression models were only significantly associated with older age. The highest rate of visual impairment was observed among subjects with retinal diseases.Conclusions.The study revealed high prevalence of age-related eye diseases in this older population.

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Dietary Patterns and Associations with Chronic Diseases of Ageing: Evidence from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)

Proceedings of The Nutrition Society ◽

10.1017/s0029665120001366 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽

Author(s):

Deirdre O'Connor ◽

Siobhan Scarlett ◽

Rose Anne Kenny

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Adult Population ◽

Health Assessment ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Nutritional Epidemiology ◽

Processed Foods ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Obesity And Diabetes ◽

Nationally Representative

AbstractIn the field of nutritional epidemiology, principal component analysis (PCA) has been used to derive dietary patterns, but this has never been conducted in a large, nationally representative sample of older adults in Ireland. The aim was to identify dietary patterns amongst older adults in Ireland derived through PCA and to examine cross-sectional associations with common comorbidities of ageing.PCA was performed using data from Wave 3 of TILDA (2014), a nationally representative cohort of community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 54 (n = 4,395). We derived major dietary patterns from a PCA of reported intake from a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Objective measures for Body Mass Index (BMI), diabetes (HbA1c), bone density(heel bone ultrasound), blood pressure and total cholesterol were collected during a health assessment. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was also performed during health assessment with trained interviewers, as a measure of global cognitive function.Statistical analyses were conducted using multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex, marital status, income, educational attainment, alcohol consumption, smoking and physical activity.With the use of PCA, five dietary patterns were identified in the sample - Pattern 1 (fresh fruit, vegetable, fresh fish and dairy), Pattern 2 (confectionary, fatty and processed foods), Pattern 3 (meats, processed meats and salty foods), Pattern 4 (carbohydrates and processed foods) and Pattern 5 (savoury snacks, spreads and processed foods). Those characterized by Pattern 4 were more likely to be overweight (adjusted RRR 0.12, 95% CI 0.05–0.20; p = 0.001), obesity (adjusted RRR 0.18, 95% CI 0.10–0.27; p = 0.001) and have diabetes (adjusted RRR 0.10, 95% CI 0.01–0.19; p = 0.024) after adjusting for known covariates.Our results suggest that in the older adult population of Ireland, a dietary pattern typified by consumption of refined grains and processed carbohydrates is associated with higher prevalence of overweight, obesity and diabetes.

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Trends in the Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity and Associated Socioeconomic and Household Environmental Factors among Women in Nepal: Findings from the Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys

Obesities ◽

10.3390/obesities1020011 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 113-135

Author(s):

Kritika Rana ◽

Puspa Ghimire ◽

Romila Chimoriya ◽

Ritesh Chimoriya

Keyword(s):

Environmental Factors ◽

Health Surveys ◽

Wealth Index ◽

Educational Status ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Demographic And Health Surveys ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Toilet Facility ◽

Nationally Representative

This study aimed to examine the trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity and to determine the associated socioeconomic and household environmental factors among women in Nepal. Using nationally representative data from the 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016 cross-sectional Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHSs) (n = 33,507), the prevalence of overweight–obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) among women aged 15–49 years were examined. From the latest NDHS 2016, non-pregnant women with recorded anthropometric measurements (n = 6165) were included in the final analyses. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine the socioeconomic and household environmental factors associated with BMI ≥ 25 and BMI ≥ 30. Between 1996 and 2016, the prevalence of overweight–obesity increased from 1.8% to 19.7%, while the prevalence of obesity increased from 0.2% to 4.1%. Age, marital status, wealth index, province of residence, type of cooking fuel, and household possessions—refrigerator and bicycle were significantly associated with having overweight–obesity and obesity. Similarly, educational status, religion, type of toilet facility, and household possessions—television and mobile phone were significantly associated with having overweight–obesity. Given the alarming increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Nepalese women, there is an urgent need for interventions addressing these critical socioeconomic and household environmental factors.

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Psychoactive Substance Use Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults With Visual Impairment

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.3518 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 987-988

Author(s):

Francisco Lopez ◽

Jason Leddy ◽

Benjamin Han ◽

Joseph Palamar

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Substance Use ◽

Visual Impairment ◽

Nicotine Dependence ◽

Vision Loss ◽

Prescription Opioids ◽

Psychoactive Substance ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Psychoactive Substance Use

Abstract Older adults with visual impairment may be at risk for developing substance use disorder (SUD) as psychoactive substance use is often used to cope with the stressors of vision loss. This study estimates the national prevalence and risk of psychoactive substance use among older adults with visual impairment. We analyzed data of respondents age ≥50 from the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized individuals in the U.S. (N=43,886). We estimated and compared prevalence of past-year use of cannabis, cocaine, misuse of prescription opioids, sedatives, stimulants/tranquilizers, alcohol use disorder (AUD), any SUD, and nicotine dependence between adults with visual impairment to those without. Comparisons were conducted using chi-square and we used multivariable generalized linear models using Poisson and log link to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) for adults with visual impairment relative to those without, controlling for demographics and diagnosis of ≥2 chronic diseases. An estimated 6.1% experienced visual impairment. Those with visual impairment had higher prevalence of AUD, nicotine dependence, misuse of prescription opioids, tranquilizers, and stimulants, and SUDs. In adjusted analyses, vision-impaired adults had higher risk of AUD (aPR=1.71, 95% CI: 1.40-2.09), nicotine dependence (aPR =1.53, 95% CI:1.35-1.73), opioid misuse (aPR =1.54, 95% CI:1.26-1.90), and SUD (aPR=1.67, 95% CI:1.40-2.01). Psychoactive substance use adds unique health risks for older adults with vision loss, who may suffer significant psychological stress and loss of independence. Screening for substance use among all older adults with visual impairment should be considered.

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Association of objective visual impairment with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adults aged ≥50 years in low/middle-income countries

British Journal of Ophthalmology ◽

10.1136/bjophthalmol-2021-318864 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. bjophthalmol-2021-318864

Author(s):

Lee Smith ◽

Jae Il Shin ◽

Yvonne Barnett ◽

Peter M Allen ◽

Rosie Lindsay ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Visual Impairment ◽

Suicide Attempts ◽

Adult Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low Middle Income Countries ◽

Nationally Representative

BackgroundThere is currently limited literature on the association between visual impairment and suicidal thoughts and behaviours, especially among older adults from low/middle-income countries (LMICs). Thus, we aimed to investigate the associations of objectively measured distance visual impairment with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adults aged ≥50 years from six LMICs and to identify potential mediators.MethodsCross-sectional, community-based, nationally representative data from the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health were analysed. Objective distance visual acuity was measured using the tumbling E logMAR chart, and vision impairment was categorised as none, mild, moderate and severe. Self-reported information on past 12-month suicidal ideation and suicide attempts was also collected. Multivariable logistic regression and mediation analysis were conducted.ResultsData on 34 129 individuals aged ≥50 years (mean (SD) age, 62.4 (16.0) years; 47.9% men) were analysed. After adjustment for potential confounders, compared with no visual impairment, severe visual impairment was significantly associated with suicidal ideation (OR=9.50; 95% CI=2.47 to 36.52). Moderate and severe visual impairment were significantly associated with a 2.22 (95% CI=1.14 to 4.35) and 11.50 (95% CI=1.44 to 91.88) times higher odds of suicide attempts, respectively. Disability, poor self-rated health, mobility and loneliness explained 14.0%, 9.3%, 7.2% and 6.3% of the association between moderate/severe visual impairment and suicide attempts, respectively.ConclusionInterventions to reduce suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among older adults with visual impairment in LMICs are required, targeting identified mediators, while using tested strategies for suicide prevention per se in LMICs may yield beneficial outcomes.

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Association between Arthritis and Migraine: A US Nationally Representative Study Including 2649 Adults

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10020342 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 342

Author(s):

Louis Jacob ◽

Jae Il Shin ◽

Guillermo F. López-Sánchez ◽

Josep Maria Haro ◽

Ai Koyanagi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Family Income ◽

Adult Population ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Representative Study ◽

The Us ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Artery Disease ◽

Large Representative

This study aimed to investigate the cross-sectional association between arthritis and migraine in a large representative sample of the US adult population. The study used data from adults who participated in the RAND American Life Panel (ALP). Arthritis (excluding rheumatoid arthritis) and migraine were self-reported. Control variables included sex, age, ethnicity, marital status, education, employment, annual family income, stroke, epilepsy, coronary artery disease, asthma, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and alcohol dependence. The association between arthritis and migraine was investigated using multivariable logistic regression models, while sex and age interaction analyses were also conducted. This study included 2649 adults (51.7% women; mean (SD) age 50.6 (15.9 years). The prevalence of migraine was 10.7% in the sample. After adjusting for several potential confounders, there was a significant association between arthritis and migraine (OR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.20–2.81). Further sensitivity analyses revealed that the association was significant in women, adults aged ≤45 years, and those aged >65 years. The mere fact that arthritis and migraine may coexist is problematic, as this could lead to an important medical and economic burden. Therefore, strategies should be implemented to reduce the cooccurrence of these two chronic conditions.

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Barriers of Cataract Surgery in South Timor Tengah, East Nusa Tenggara-Indonesia

The Open Public Health Journal ◽

10.2174/1874944501912010007 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 7-10

Author(s):

Ni Made Ari Suryathi ◽

I Gusti Ayu Made Juliari ◽

Ari Andayani ◽

I Wayan Gede Jayanegara ◽

NLMN Ratnasari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Visual Acuity ◽

Health System ◽

Cataract Surgery ◽

Visual Impairment ◽

Study Design ◽

Vision Loss ◽

Access To Treatment ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Eye Health ◽

The Cost

Background: WHO shows that cataract is a major cause of avoidable blindness. The Purpose of this research is to find data related to blindness and visual impairment caused by senile cataracts. Barriers of cataract surgery in patient with senile cataract is a very favorable factor in this study. Method: Study design using cross-sectional method, data were collected from Ume Manekan Hospital November 2017. Assessment was done by clinical ophthalmologist evaluating the characteristics, type of cataract, visual acuity, and barriers to cataract surgery. Result: Total subjects in this study are 109. Prevalence of mature cataract is 55 (51%). Barriers most cataract surgery in this study is the inability of the community to pay the cost of surgery 54 (49.5%), followed by the lack of access to treatment that is 33 (30%), fearing the results of operations 15 (13.8%) and felt that treatment is not needed 7 (6.4%). The category of most vision loss in the operated eye was found in the blindness group (<3/60), 100 (91.8%) and followed by Severe Visual Impairment category (9/ 60-3 / 60) (8.2%). Conclusion: Eye health system that must be well prepared at the level of regional holder considering the number of blindness due to high enough cataracts in TTS Timor Tengah Selatan district.

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Do Communication Patterns Affect the Association between Cognitive Impairment and Hearing Loss among Older Adults in Vietnam?

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041603 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1603

Author(s):

Tran Dai Tri Han ◽

Keiko Nakamura ◽

Kaoruko Seino ◽

Vo Nu Hong Duc ◽

Thang Van Vo

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Hearing Loss ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Vision Loss ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Ordinal Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Communication Devices ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

This study examined the prevalence of cognitive impairment among older adults in central Vietnam and the roles of communication (with or without communication devices) in the association between cognitive impairment and hearing loss. This cross-sectional study was performed on 725 randomly selected community-dwelling older adults aged ≥60 years from Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam. Participants attended a face-to-face survey. Sociodemographic characteristics, social interaction with or without communication devices, health status and cognitive function using the Mini-Mental State Examination were reported. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to quantify the association between hearing loss and cognitive function by frequency of communication with and without devices. Mild and severe cognitive impairment had prevalence rates of 23.6% and 19.3%, respectively. Cognitive impairment was more prevalent among older adults with hearing-loss, vision loss and difficulties with instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). The association between hearing loss and cognitive impairment was not significant when older adults had frequent communication with others using devices. This study presented the relatively high prevalence of cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older adults in Vietnam. Frequent communication using devices attenuated the association between hearing loss and cognitive impairment.

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The Association Between Recent Family Death and Self-Perceptions of Aging Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1457 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 450-450

Author(s):

Shu Xu

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Child Death ◽

Parental Death ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Perceptions Of Aging ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

And Gender ◽

Family Loss

Abstract The loss of a family member may have a significant influence on one’s aging experience in life. Self-perceptions of aging, which are an individual’s beliefs or evaluation of their experiences of aging, have been described as an important factor for one’s health and daily life. However, there is little research on the association between family death and self-perceptions of aging. This study examines the relationships between recent family death, self-perceptions of aging, and gender of the bereaved among middle-aged and older adults. Using nationally representative data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we conducted cross-sectional analysis on adults age 50 years and older (n=1,839). Self-perceptions of aging were accessed by 8 items derived from the Attitudes Toward Own Aging subscale of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale and the Berlin Aging Study, and we considered recent family death (i.e., parental death, spousal death, sibling death and child death), as well as gender of the bereaved. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that respondents who experienced recent family death report less positive self-perceptions of aging compared to those who did not experience recent family death (t = 12.40, p < .01). Recent parental death was more negatively related with self-perceptions of aging for bereaved women than for bereaved men (χ2 = 4.28, p < .05). Findings suggest that middle-aged and older adults experiencing recent family loss have less positive self-perceptions of aging, and gender of the bereaved plays an important role in the relationship between parental death and self-perceptions of aging.

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Risks of Major Mental Disorders and Irritable Bowel Syndrome among the Offspring of Parents with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Nationwide Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18094679 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (9) ◽

pp. 4679

Author(s):

Ta-Chuan Yeh ◽

Ya-Mei Bai ◽

Shih-Jen Tsai ◽

Tzeng-Ji Chen ◽

Chih-Sung Liang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Irritable Bowel Syndrome ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Early Implementation ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Irritable Bowel

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder that is highly comorbid with mental disorders. However, few studies have examined the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD), and schizophrenia in the offspring of parents with IBS. We used nationally representative cross-sectional survey data to analyze cross-generational transmission patterns of both IBS and major mental disorders. Odds ratio (OR) was calculated by using logistic regression models with adjustment for potential confounding factors. Offspring of parents with IBS were more likely to develop IBS themselves (OR = 2.41, 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.09–2.78), ADHD (OR = 1.33, 95% CI, 1.08–1.62), and MDD (OR = 1.32, 95% CI, 1.04–1.68) than the controls. Data stratification by parental sex revealed that paternal IBS increased risk of ADHD (OR = 1.34, 95% CI, 1.01–1.77) in the offspring, while maternal IBS increased the risk of MDD (OR = 1.51, 95% CI, 1.11–2.06). This is the first study to reveal parental IBS is associated with IBS, ADHD, and MDD among offspring, suggesting the necessity for early implementation of prevention strategies for at-risk children.

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