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Visual impairment in a rural Appalachian community: prevalence and causes

Article Abstract:

The nature and extent of visual disability in an underserved area of rural United States were assessed by surveying 1,136 subjects aged 40 years and older from a rural region of Kentucky. Information about corrected visual acuity or sharpness, history of eye evaluations, demographic and socioeconomic factors, and use of health care services was collected. Subjects with visual acuity of less than 20/60 in either eye were given a complete eye exam. Binocular blindness, defined as an acuity of less than 20/400 in the better eye, was present in 0.44 percent of subjects. Monocular blindness, defined as an acuity of less than 20/400 in one eye, occurred in 3.3 percent of subjects. The prevalence of binocular and monocular blindness in this rural population was almost twice that of the national population. Impairment of bilateral vision in men was due to degeneration of the macula, the opaque spot of the cornea, which is the clear, transparent front coating of the eye. The loss of bilateral visual acuity among women was due to the development of cataracts, or opacity of the lens of the eye. Impairment of monocular vision or decreased sight in one eye was due to the development of cataracts, injury, and amblyopia in both sexes. Impairment of vision was associated with older age, a low level of education, and the lack of active employment, access to a health care facility, and comprehensive health insurance coverage. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Demographic aspects, Kentucky, Rural health

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Bloodstream infections associated with a needleless intravenous infusion system in patients receiving home infusion therapy

Article Abstract:

Patients receiving home infusion therapy with a needleless device for total parenteral nutrition and intralipid therapy may be at considerable risk for blood stream infections. Researchers compared the health and the care 250 patients of Rhode Island Home Therapeutics who had received home infusion therapy through either a peripheral catheter or a needleless central venous catheter (CVC). Culture specimens were obtained from injection caps from the needless devices. Patients who had a CVC showed a greater risk of contracting bloodstream infections than controls. Researchers suspected that solutions remaining in the injection cap became contaminated during the period before the caps were changed.

Methods, Risk factors, Intravenous therapy, Infusion therapy, Blood diseases, Hematologic diseases

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Acute Onset of Decreased Vision and Hearing Traced to Hemodialysis Treatment With Aged Dialyzers

Article Abstract:

Old cellulose acetate dialyzers were probably the cause of neurologic disease that developed in 7 patients within one day of receiving dialysis at one hospital. The outbreak occurred September 18, 1996, and the patients who developed the symptoms had been exposed to cellulose acetate dialyzers that were 11.5 years old. No patient who did not develop symptoms was exposed to the old dialyzer. Old dialyzer can contain harmful chemicals that can enter the blood. An extract of the old dialyzer caused similar symptoms in rabbits.

Health aspects, Hemodialyzers, Cellulose, Hemodialysis equipment

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