Visual Impairment and Physical Frailty in Sub-Saharan Africa

BackgroundsAging has been clearly associated with visual and physical performance. Alteration of visual function is associated with negative health outcome such as cognitive decline, disability, loss of mobility.ObjectivesTo determine the relationship between visual impairment (VI) and physical frailty (using the SOF index and SPPB).MethodsData from the Douala Study of Aging, an observational, cross-sectional study. Visual impairment was self-reported. Physical frailty was assessed using the SOF index and the SPPB test. Considering the SOF index, participants meeting one or more criteria (unintentional weight loss, inability to do five chair stands, low energy level) were classified as pre-frail/frail. The SPPB is consisting of three sub-tests : test of balance, chair stands test and gait speed test (range between 0 to 12). Participants with SPPB test score > 9 were classified as fit. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between VI and physical frailty.ResultsThe study sample consisted of 406 patients aged 55 years or older, among whom 49.80 % were female. The mean age of participants was 67.0 (+/- 6.4) years. A total of 359 (88.4 %) have self-reported VI. Considering both test (SOF and SPPB), the prevalence of frailty/pre-frailty was 40 %. After adjustments, the VI was significantly associated with physical frailty (OR :2.88 IC95 % 1.23 - 6.79, P