Association between visual impairment and low vision and sleep duration and quality among older adults in South Africa

Karl Peltzer, Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study aims to estimate the association between visual impairment and low vision and sleep duration and poor sleep quality in a national sample of older adults in South Africa. A national population-based cross-sectional Study of Global Ageing and Adults Health (SAGE) wave 1 was conducted in 2008 with a sample of 3840 individuals aged 50 years or older in South Africa. The interviewer-administered questionnaire assessed socio-demographic characteristics, health variables, sleep duration, quality, visual impairment, and vision. Results indicate that 10.0% of the sample reported short sleep duration (≤5 h), 46.6% long sleep (≥9 h), 9.3% poor sleep quality, 8.4% self-reported and visual impairment (near and/or far vision); and 43.2% measured low vision (near and/or far vision) (0.01-0.25 decimal) and 7.5% low vision (0.01-0.125 decimal). In fully adjusted logistic regression models, selfreported visual impairment was associated with short sleep duration and poor sleep quality, separately and together. Low vision was only associated with long sleep duration and poor sleep quality in unadjusted models. Self-reported visual impairment was related to both short sleep duration and poor sleep quality. Population data on sleep patterns may want to include visual impairment measures.

Original languageEnglish
Article number811
JournalInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume14
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 19 Jul 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Low vision
  • Sleep duration
  • Sleep quality
  • South Africa
  • Study of global ageing and adult health
  • Visual impairment

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pollution
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

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