Sensory impairment is related to mortality and long term care - Needs certification among older Japanese

Objectives: The aim of this cohort study was to assess the relation of sensory impairment (vision and hearing) on mortality and long term care-needs (LTC) certification in Japanese community-dwelling older population.

 Methods: From 2005 to 2006, the baseline survey of the cohort study on the functional assessment and ageing were conducted in Kurabuchi town, Gunma Prefecture, Japan, targeting residents aged 65 years and older. Excluding the functionally dependent residents, we analyzed 805 participants (341 males and 464 females) in this present study. During the follow-up time until March 2008, a total of 63 subjects died or became LTC certified. Under the Japanese law, LTC insurance is covered all Japanese people aged 65 years or older. Best-corrected visual acuity was used, and distance vision impairment was defined according to the U.S. criteria (< 0.5 in the better eye). By pure-tone audiometric test, subjects were classified as having hearing impairment when they failed to hear the 30dB at 1kHz in their better ear. Participants who had both vision and hearing impairment were defined as having dual sensory impairment. Information on demographic and socioeconomic factors, and medical history was collected.

 Results: The incidence proportion of death and/or LTC certification was 4.3% in no sensory impairment, 10.5% in vision impairment only, 13.4% in hearing impairment only and 16.9% in dual sensory impairment. When compared with no sensory impairment, multi-adjusted ORs (95% CIs) of death and/or LTC certification were 2.52 (1.11−5.73) for vision impairment only, 2.61 (1.13−6.04) for hearing impairment only and 2.78 (1.06−7.30) for dual sensory impairment.

Conclusions: In this Japanese older population, sensory impairment was clearly related to mortality and LTC certification. This indicates a necessity to conduct further research to build preventive strategies for sensory impairment.