217450 Socio-economic patterns of vision problems in the San Francisco preschool population: A case-control study

Monday, November 8, 2010 : 9:09 AM - 9:27 AM

April Nakayoshi, MPH, CHES , Prevent Blindness Northern California, San Francisco, CA
Tomás Aragón, MD, DrPH , Community Health Epidemiology, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
It has been established that vision problems in the preschool population can result in lifelong visual impairment and may also interfere with learning. This case-control study examined possible socio-economic factors that might identify children at high risk for undetected vision problems. Using screening results of 5,000 pre-schoolers from a San Francisco vision-screening program, rates of children with vision problems were compared with rates of children without vision problems. The data was analyzed by geographic location of the preschool attended within San Francisco and was also analyzed by the type of preschool attended: low-income, public, private or parochial. Study results revealed a statistically significant rate of undetected vision problems in the middle-income districts compared to low-income districts in the City. Analysis of the screening results also indicated that preschoolers from all socio-economic backgrounds are at risk for undetected vision problems, but children from low-income backgrounds may face greater challenges to having their vision problems diagnosed and treated.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Epidemiology
Program planning
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the prevalence of vision problems in San Francisco preschoolers in terms of various socio-economic indicators Analyze what factors may influence the rate and detection of vision problems in the preschool population Compare the prevalance of vision problems in different types of schools and neighborhoods in San Francisco

Keywords: Children's Health, Vulnerable Populations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am Program Director at Prevent Blindness Northern California and have worked in the vision health field for nine years
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.