Neighbourhood Disadvantage and Vision Screening Failure Rates: Analysis of a School-Based Vision Program in...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Ophthalmology
• Socioeconomic Determinants of Health

Background:

• Vision screening in schools is crucial for early detection of visual impairments.
• Neighborhood socioeconomic factors may influence health outcomes, including vision screening results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between neighborhood disadvantage, measured by the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), and vision screening failure rates in schools.
• To determine if schools in more deprived areas exhibit higher rates of vision screening failure.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of aggregate data from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade schools in Baltimore, Maryland (2016-2019).
• Utilized school-level Area Deprivation Index (ADI) based on ZIP+4 codes.
• Employed negative binomial regression models to assess the association between ADI and vision screening failure rates, adjusting for grade level and school clustering.

Main Results:

• The study included 972 grades across 117 schools.
• Median national ADI percentile was 71 (indicating significant deprivation), with a median vision screening failure rate of 33%.
• No statistically significant association was found between school ADI and vision screening failure rates (IRR = 1.01, p = 0.217).

Conclusions:

• This study found no link between school-level neighborhood disadvantage and vision screening failure rates.
• High vision screening failure rates across all schools highlight a substantial need for vision services.
• Further research should explore individual-level socioeconomic status and home ADI impacts on vision outcomes.