Citation

Johnson NE. J. Rural Health 2004; 20(2): 142-150.

Affiliation

Department of Sociology, Agricultural Experiment Station, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1111, USA. Nan.Johnson@ssc.msu.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, National Rural Health Association, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

15085628

Abstract

PURPOSE: Nonmetro and metro elderly people are contrasted in their risk of having (relative to lacking) an impairment in distance vision and in near vision. METHODS: Using the 1995-1996 panel (Wave 2) of the Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) Survey, the prevalence of 5 eye-threatening conditions (cardiovascular disease, cataract, diabetes, glaucoma, and hypertension), a variety of medical treatments for these conditions, the number of talks/visits with doctors in the 2 years before Wave 2, and several relevant demographic characteristics of the 6,817 respondents were controlled. FINDINGS: Nonmetro and metro elders have the same risk of impairment in distance vision. After controlling for other factors, nonmetro elders have a higher risk than their metro peers of an uncorrected impairment in near vision (probably presbyopia). CONCLUSIONS: Nonmetro elders may confront more impediments to updating their corrective lenses for presbyopia. Implications for public health policy are discussed.

Language: en