Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in US Adults With Vision Impairment

Adults with vision impairment (VI) have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with those without VI. We estimated the prevalence of CVD and CVD risk factors by VI status in US adults.

We used nationally representative data from the 2018 National Health Interview Survey (N = 22,890 adults aged ≥18 years). We estimated the prevalence of self-reported diagnosis of CVD (coronary heart disease [including angina and myocardial infarction], stroke, or other heart disease) by VI status. We used separate logistic regression models to generate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs), controlling for sociodemographic covariates, for those with VI (reference group, no VI) for CVD and CVD risk factors: current smoking, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol intake, obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

Overall, 12.9% (95% CI, 12.3-13.5) of the sample had VI. The prevalence of CVD was 26.6% (95% CI, 24.7-28.6) in people with VI versus 12.2% (95% CI, 11.7-12.8) in those without VI (aPR = 1.65 [95% CI, 1.51-1.80]). Compared with adults without VI, those with VI had a higher prevalence of all risk factors examined: current smoking (aPR = 1.40 [95% CI, 1.27-1.53]), physical inactivity (aPR = 1.14 [95% CI, 1.06-1.22]), excessive alcohol intake (aPR = 1.29 [95% CI, 1.08-1.53]), obesity (aPR = 1.28 [95% CI, 1.21-1.36]), hypertension (aPR = 1.29 [95% CI, 1.22-1.36]), high cholesterol (aPR = 1.21 [95% CI, 1.14-1.29]), and diabetes (aPR = 1.54 [95% CI, 1.38-1.72]).

Adults with VI had a higher prevalence of CVD and CVD risk factors compared with those without VI. Effective clinical and lifestyle interventions, adapted to accommodate VI-related challenges, may help reduce CVD risk in adults with VI.