Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose:To determine the relationship between self-reported depression and self-reported visual functioning in a population-based sample of Latinos. Methods:The LALES is a population-based prevalence study assessing the presence of visual impairment, ocular disease and visual functioning in non-institutionalized Latinos, aged 40 years and older, in Los Angeles, CA. The NEI-VFQ-25 and SF-12 are the two instruments used in this study. One item from the SF-12, "How much of the time during the past 4 weeks have you felt downhearted and blue?" was used as a measure of self-reported depression. The response choices for this question were: All of the time, Most of the time, A good bit of the time, Some of the time, A little of the time, and None of the time. This item has been validated against the CES-D (Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression) instrument. A one-way ANOVA was used to determine the correlation between mean NEI-VFQ-25 subscale scores and the categories of self-reported depression. These data were also adjusted for covariates including age, acculturation, gender, comorbidities, income and visual impairment. Results:3,185 participants who completed the questionnaires were included. Univariate analysis revealed an inverse statistically significant association between self-reported visual functioning and self-reported depression when stratified by levels of depression (p<0.001). The mean scores of all VFQ-25 subscales was also inversely related to the level of self-reported depression (p<0.001). This association remained significant after adjusting for the covariates. Conclusion: As self reported depression was inversely associated with responses to the NEI-VFQ-25 in Latinos, it is an important covariate to consider when assessing self-reported visual functioning in Latinos.
Keywords: 353 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: outcomes/complications • 536 quality of life • 310 aging: visual performance