{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Life space limitations in visually impaired older adults.
{Author}: Bittner AK;Gobeille M;Malkin AG;Ho J;Idman-Rait C;Estabrook M;Ross NC; ;
{Journal}: Optom Vis Sci
{Volume}: 101
{Issue}: 6
{Year}: 2024 Jun 1
{Factor}: 2.106
{DOI}: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000002150
{Abstract}: <B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Future work should develop and evaluate interventional strategies to help overcome visual and health-related barriers to travel in visually impaired seniors and mitigate adverse impacts of loneliness for those who do not leave town.<BR><B>OBJECTIVE: </B>Life space refers to the area in which a person travels within a given time period. We explored whether demographics, vision, and/or health characteristics were related to restrictions in self-reported life space for visually impaired seniors.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Visually impaired (n = 114) clinical trial participants aged ≥55 years learned visual assistive iPhone apps and completed the following baseline questionnaires: Life Space, 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale, and New-General Self-efficacy Scale. Multiple logistic regressions evaluated associations between life space and patient factors after accounting for their distance to the next county or state.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>During 2021 to 2023, 17%, 43%, and 70% of participants had not left their town, county, or state, respectively, in the past 3 months, or planned to in the next 3 months. Those with reduced distance best-corrected visual acuity had greater odds of not leaving the county in these time frames (odds ratio [OR] = 3.5; p=0.04). Minority race was associated with greater odds of not leaving town or the county in the past 2 weeks or future 3 months (OR = 4.3 to 6.4; p=0.009 to 0.049). Increased self-efficacy was associated with reduced odds of not leaving the state in the past 3 months, next 3 months, or past and/or future 3 months (OR = 0.54 to 0.55; p=0.02 to 0.03). Better physical function was associated with reduced odds of not leaving the state in the past 2 weeks or 3 months (OR = 0.96 to 0.98; p=0.01 to 0.04). Increased loneliness was related to greater odds of not leaving town in the past and/or future 3 months (OR = 1.8 to 2.0; p=0.007 to 0.009).<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Minority race, reduced vision, self-efficacy, and physical health were related to life space restrictions in this cohort of visually impaired seniors, whereas loneliness was greater among those who were not leaving town.