The determinants of participation in activities of daily living in people with impaired vision

Abstract 

Purpose

To investigate the determinants of participation in daily activities in people with impaired vision using the Impact of Vision Impairment (IVI) instrument.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Methods

We recruited 319 participants with no vision rehabilitation history, distance visual acuity (VA) <6/12 (better eye), the ability to converse in English, and 18 years or older. Participants completed the 32-item IVI questionnaire and provided demographic, personal, cultural, and environmental details on vision-related functioning. Visual acuity data were either abstracted from the participants' files or assessed by qualified personnel. Participants also completed the SF-12 to evaluate physical (PCS-12) and mental health (MCS-12).

Results

The areas of greatest restriction of participation were associated with reading, outdoor mobility, participation in leisure activities, and shopping. In stepwise linear regression presenting VA, the PCS-12 and MCS-12 explained the variance in leisure and work (60 participants or 19%), consumer and social interaction (92 participants or 30%), household and personal care (76 participants or 24%), mobility (92 participants or 30%), emotional reaction to visual loss and (106 participants or 33%), and total IVI score (114 participants or 36%). Having age-related macular degeneration contributed marginally to the IVI domains and total score (P < .05–.01), except for the emotional domain. Belonging to a social group explained 3% and 2% of the variance in the consumer and social interaction and emotional domains, respectively (P < .05).

Conclusions

Distance VA and physical and mental health explained more than a third of the variance of the total score, suggesting that an intervention aimed at improving quality of life may include strategies to improve not only vision-related rehabilitation but also mental and physical health.