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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Asel Ryskulova, MD, PhD, MPH, Richard Klein, MPH, and Kathleen Turczyn, MPH. Office of Analysis, Epidemiology and Health Promotion, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC, 3311 Toledo Road, Room 6309, Hyattsville, MD 20782, 301 458-4550, ARyskulova@cdc.gov

Almost all eye injuries can be prevented with the proper selection and use of eye and face protection. Healthy People 2010 vision objective 28-9 is to increase the use of protective eyewear in recreational activities and hazardous situations around the home but initially no national data were available to track this objective. For the first time, national data were collected on participation in sports, hobbies, or other activities that can cause eye injury and use of protective eyewear from a special supplement to the 2002 National Health Interview Survey. Data were obtained for 31,044 adults 18 years and older and 8,256 children aged 6–17 years and analyzed using SUDAAN. The eye injury-causing activities include baseball, basketball, soccer, and mowing the lawn. About 30% of adults and half of children participated in eye injury-causing activities. Of those engaged in these activities, 33.1% of adults and 14.6% of children reported using protective eyewear all or most of the time. Males were more involved in eye injury-causing activities and they were more likely to use protective eyewear than females. Black and Hispanic persons were less likely to participate in these activities than white persons. Use of protective eyewear did not vary significantly by race/ethnicity or income group. This study presents the national data on use of protective eyewear that were used to set the baseline and target for the Healthy People 2010 objective. Collaborative efforts of health professionals, educators, and the public are needed to achieve the national vision objectives.

Learning Objectives:

• •List the Healthy People 2010 vision objectives.
• •Describe the national profile of protective eyewear use in recreational activities and hazardous situations around the home.
• •Explain the importance of protective eyewear for adults and children.
• •Describe implications for public health policy and research.

Keywords: Vision Care, Injury Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation