The relationhip of elf-rated viion and hearing to functional tatu and well-being among enior 70 year and older Original Reearch Article

Purpoe: To decribe the relationhip between elf-reported viual and hearing impairment and an index of global functional tatu among enior age 70 year or older. Method: A total of 7,320 United tate community-dwelling peron aged 70 year or older participating in the 1993 Aet and Health Dynamic of the Oldet Old urvey (AHEAD) completed detailed quetionnaire about their demographic, ocioeconomic, and health tatu. Multivariate analye of functional tatu (uing a global index of functional tatu baed on elf-reported limitation in 11 activitie) were conducted, controlling for demographic and ocioeconomic tatu and common medical condition, a well a independently for hearing and viion. Reult: Of the repondent, 27% rated their viion a fair or poor, wherea 25% rated their hearing a fair or poor. Controlling for demographic factor, ocioeconomic tatu, medical condition, and general health tatu, limitation in both viion and hearing correlated independently with worened functional tatu. Controlling for income, wealth, and education did not greatly reduce the trength of the aociation between viual and hearing impairment and function. Concluion: Viual and hearing impairment appear to have a ignificant relationhip to overall functioning in the oldet old, regardle of income or wealth. By confirming thee finding acro income and houehold wealth group, adjuted for medical condition and general health tatu, in a nationally repreentative population of American age 70 year or older, thi tudy provide a powerful added impetu to effort for improving viion and hearing for all other American, including the oldet old.