The Relationship between Visual Impairment and Health-Related Quality of Life in Korean Adults: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008-2012)

Yuli Park; Jeong Ah Shin; Suk Woo Yang; Hyeon Woo Yim; Hyun Seung Kim; Young-Hoon Park; Epidemiologic Survey Committee of the Korean Ophthalmologic Society

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0132779

The Relationship between Visual Impairment and Health-Related Quality of Life in Korean Adults: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008-2012)

PLoS One. 2015 Jul 20;10(7):e0132779. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132779. eCollection 2015.

Authors

Yuli Park¹, Jeong Ah Shin², Suk Woo Yang², Hyeon Woo Yim³, Hyun Seung Kim¹, Young-Hoon Park²; Epidemiologic Survey Committee of the Korean Ophthalmologic Society

Affiliations

¹ Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
² Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
³ Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Introduction: To evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Korean adults with visual impairment(VI) using various measures based on a nationally distributed sample.

Methods: Using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2008-2012) data, we compared EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D) and EQ-visual analogue scale (VAS) scores after adjusting for socio-demographic and psychosocial factors as well as for comorbidities with VI. Logistic regressions were used to elucidate determinants for the lowest quintile HRQoL scales according to VI severity. Uncorrected visual acuity (VA) which implies vision of ordinary life was measured using an international standard vision chart based on Snellen scale.

Results: 28,825 participants (sum of weights; 37,562,376) were included in the analysis. The mean EQ-5D and EQ-VAS scores were significantly lower in the VI groups than in the normal vision (defined as VA 20/20-20/25) group based on the better or worse seeing eye (P<.0001 and P<.0001, respectively). Participants with moderate (VA 20/80-20/160) and severe VI (VA ≤20/200) had higher scores of multivariate-adjusted odd ratios (aORs) for the lowest quintile than did the normal vision group which was particularly evident in the results from EQ-5D, whereas the results of the mild VI (VA 20/32-20/63) group did not identify significant differences from the normal vision group independent of classification according to the better or the worse seeing eye. Conversely, EQ-VAS revealed significantly higher score of multivariate-aORs for the lowest quintile in participants with mild VI either for the better or worse seeing eye.

Conclusions: The severity of VI was definitely associated with impaired HRQoL compared with the normal vision population. The analyses presented here elicited even mild VI could potentially deteriorate the health-related quality of life (or subjective perception of health quality) and therefore, therapeutic approaches should also focus on the subjective perception and better management of health condition.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Asian People
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Health Status
Humans
Logistic Models
Male
Middle Aged
Nutrition Surveys
Odds Ratio
Quality of Life*
Republic of Korea / epidemiology
Surveys and Questionnaires
Vision Disorders / diagnosis*
Vision Disorders / epidemiology
Visual Acuity

Grants and funding

The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Catholic Medical Center Research Foundation made in the program year of 2012.