Injury Related to Fall and Its Predictors among Medically Diagnosed Adults with Visual Impairment in Ethiopia: An Observational Cross-Sectional Study

Fall-related injury is the common cause of unintentional injury and premature death among people with visual impairment. So far, the knowledge about fall-related injuries among medically diagnosed visual impairment people living in low- and middle-income countries is scarce. Hence, this study is a preliminary attempt to assess the fall-related injury and its determinants among adult people with medically diagnosed visual impairment individuals.

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to July 2018 with a total sample size of 337 study participants. The study participants were recruited by using a systematic random sampling method. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression model analysis was used to identify predictors of fall-related injuries with IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23.

A total of 320 adults with visual impairments participants have participated in this study. The finding of this study was reported as follows: 24.7% of (95% CI: 20.0-29.4%) adults with visual impairments experienced one or more fall-related injuries. The main predictors of fall-related injuries identified by multivariate analysis were severity of visual impairment: moderate (AOR, 2.91; 95% CI: 1.23 - 6.87), severe (AOR, 3.58; 95% CI: 1.26-10.17), cause of visual impairment: cataract (AOR, 10.63; 95% CI: 2.49 - 45.26), diabetic retinopathy (AOR, 15.35; 95% CI: 2.51-93.96), taking medication (AOR, 6.35; 95% CI: 2.93-13.75), having family support (AOR, 2.13; 95% CI: 1.08 - 4.19), and depression (AOR 3.82, 95% CI: 1.27-11.45).

Soft tissue injuries were the most common fall-related injuries reported by the study participants. The severity of visual impairment, the cause of visual impairment, taking one or more medication, having family support, and having depression were significant predictors of fall-related injuries.