LSHTM Research Online

Polack, S; Kuper, H; Wadud, Z; Fletcher, A; Foster, A; (2008) Quality of life and visual impairment from cataract in Satkhira district, Bangladesh. The British journal of ophthalmology, 92 (8). pp. 1026-30. ISSN 0007-1161 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bjo.2007.134791

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Abstract

AIMS: To evaluate a vision-related quality of life (QOL) scale (World Health Organization Prevention of Blindness and Deafness Visual Function 20-WHO/PBD VF20) and explore the impact of cataract visual impairment on vision- and health-related QOL in people >or=50 years from Satkhira district, Bangladesh. METHOD: 217 cases visually impaired from cataract and 280 controls with normal vision were interviewed about vision-related QOL (WHO/PBD VF20), generic health-related QOL (EuroQol generic health instrument, EQ-5D) and socio-demographic information. The validity and reliability of the WHO/PBD VF20 were evaluated using standard psychometric tests and criteria. RESULTS: Evidence for validity and reliability of the WHO/PBD VF20 was found. Worsening general functioning, psychosocial and overall eyesight scores were associated with increased visual loss (p for trend<0.001). Cases were more likely to report problems with each EQ-5D descriptive domain and had poorer self-rated health than controls with normal vision (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Demonstration of the validity and reliability of the WHO/PBD VF20 in this population supports its suitability as a tool for assessing vision-related QOL in low-income settings. The poorer health-related QOL in cases compared with controls suggests an impact of cataract visual impairment on perceived health and well-being, beyond vision-specific experience.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty and Department:	Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases > Dept of Clinical Research Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health > Dept of Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology
Research Centre:	The International Centre for Evidence in Disability International Centre for Eye Health Centre for Global Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)
PubMed ID:	18653592
Web of Science ID:	257888800005
URI:	http://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/id/eprint/7401

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