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Quantifying Fall-Related Hazards in the Homes of Persons with Glaucoma
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Quantifying Fall-Related Hazards in the Homes of Persons with Glaucoma

Andrea V Yonge, Bonnielin K Swenor, Rhonda Miller, Victoria Goldhammer, Sheila K West, David S Friedman, Laura N Gitlin and Pradeep Y Ramulu
Ophthalmology (Rochester, Minn.), v 124(4), pp 562-571
Apr 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2016.11.032
PMID: 28017422
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://europepmc.org/articles/pmc5365348View
Accepted (AM)Open Access (License Unspecified),  Open

Abstract

Accidental Falls - statistics & numerical data Accidents, Home - statistics & numerical data Aged Contrast Sensitivity - physiology Cross-Sectional Studies Female Glaucoma - epidemiology Glaucoma - physiopathology Humans Intraocular Pressure - physiology Male Proportional Hazards Models Quality of Life Risk Assessment Sickness Impact Profile Surveys and Questionnaires Vision Disorders - physiopathology Visual Acuity - physiology Visual Field Tests Visual Fields - physiology
To characterize fall-related hazards in the homes of persons with suspected or diagnosed glaucoma, and to determine whether those with worse visual field (VF) damage have fewer home hazards. Cross-sectional study using baseline (2013-2015) data from the ongoing Falls in Glaucoma Study (FIGS). One-hundred seventy-four of 245 (71.0%) FIGS participants agreeing to the home assessment. Participants' homes were assessed using the Home Environment Assessment for the Visually Impaired (HEAVI). A single evaluator assessed up to 127 potential hazards in 8 home regions. In the clinic, binocular contrast sensitivity (CS) and better-eye visual acuity (VA) were evaluated, and 24-2 VFs were obtained to calculate average integrated VF (IVF) sensitivity. Total number of home hazards. No significant visual or demographic differences were noted between participants who did and did not complete the home assessment (P > 0.09 for all measures). Mean age among those completing the home assessment (n = 174) was 71.1 years, and IVF sensitivity ranged from 5.6 to 33.4 dB (mean = 27.2 dB, standard deviation [SD] = 4.0 dB). The mean number of items graded per home was 85.2 (SD = 13.2), and an average of 32.7 (38.3%) were identified as hazards. IVF sensitivity, CS, and VA were not associated with total home hazards or the number of hazards in any given room (P > 0.06 for all visual measures and rooms). The bathroom contained the greatest number of hazards (mean = 7.9; 54.2% of graded items classified as hazardous), and the most common hazards identified in at least 1 room were ambient lighting <300 lux and exposed light bulbs. Only 27.9% of graded rooms had adequate lighting. IVF sensitivity, CS, and VA were not associated with home lighting levels (P > 0.18 for all), but brighter room lighting was noted in the homes of participants with higher median income (P < 0.001). Multiple home fall hazards were identified in the study population, and hazard numbers were not lower for persons with worse VF damage, suggesting that individuals with more advanced glaucoma do not adapt their homes for safety. Further work should investigate whether addressing home hazards is an effective intervention for preventing falls in this high-risk group.

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26 citations in Web of Science
26 citations in Scopus

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Web of Science research areas
Ophthalmology
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