Socioeconomic inequalities in people with visual impairment

Objective To analyze inequalities in income, education, and social class as social determinants of visual impairment in the population of Catalonia, Spain.

Methods Using a cross-sectional study population of those older than 15 years (7881 men and 8045 women) from data from the Health Survey of Catalonia (ESCA 2006), the prevalence of visual impairment was calculated and logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (AOR) by age, income level, educational level and social class to a 95% CI.

Results 4.7% (4.4, 5.0) of the Catalonian population [women 5.3% (4.8, 5.8), men 4.1% (3.7, 4.5)] self-reported having visual impairment. The prevalence of visual impairment is higher among individuals who report an income level less than EUR3000/year (6.8% versus 3% for those earn more than EUR10000/yr) and higher in more disadvantaged social class(7.5% in subjects of Social Class V compared with 2.9% of Social Class I). The risk of visual impairment in uneducated women is 1.78 (1.022, 3.116) times greater than in women with university degrees.

Conclusions The worst self-reported visual impairment in the Catalonian population was found in women with lower educational attainment, lower income and social class. The study results provide for the first time visual health data for the population of Catalonia, and are under examination by the Catalonian authorities as reflection toward the incorporation of new health policies for the benefit of the most socially underprivileged. Documenting these inequalities permits the identification of barriers to most disadvantaged populations.