The impact of socioeconomic factors and obesity on visual impairment among older adults in Poland.

Abstract

Introduction: Visual impairment is a significant public health concern, particularly among older adults in Poland.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of socioeconomic factors and medical condition on visual impairment among older adults in Poland.

Patients and methods: An analysis was conducted utilizing near visual acuity assessments with Snellen charts and surveys among 5987 participants aged 60 years and over from the nationwide PolSenior2 study. A univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were created to identify risk factors for visual impairment.

Results: In a multivariable regression analysis, the odds of visual impairments were 1.72 times higher among individuals aged 75 years and over compared to those aged 60-74 years. Furthermore, individuals with primary education had 1.66 times higher odds of visual impairment compared to those with higher education. Individuals engaged in manual/farming work in the past, those who were unemployed in the past and those engaged in other job in the past had 1.25, 1.42 and 1.26 times higher odds of visual impairment, respectively, compared to white collar workers. Additionally, multivariable logistic regression analysis also revealed that obesity is associated with a 0.85 times lower odds of visual impairments.

Conclusions: Our study revealed that socioeconomic factors significanlty impact visual health. Visual impairment was most prevalent among older age groups (age 75 and above), individuals with lower education levels or no education, the unemployed, and those who previously worked in manual labor or farming jobs or other. Additionally, obesity was inversely associated with visual impairment.