Visual and hearing impairment and retirement in older adults: A population-based cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
Impaired vision and hearing are common among older adults and have been shown to reduce functional independence and to reduce quality of life. This cohort study investigated the cross-sectional and temporal associations between objectively measured dual sensory impairment (DSI) and retirement from employment.


STUDY DESIGN
2409 Blue Mountains Eye Study participants aged 55+ years at baseline were included for analyses.


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Visual impairment was defined as visual acuity less than 20/40 (better eye), and hearing impairment as average pure-tone air conduction threshold >25dB HL (500-4000Hz, better ear). Employment status was questioned at each examination over 10 years.


RESULTS
At baseline, 650 (27.0%) were employed and 1759 (73.0%) were retired. Cross-sectional analysis showed that participants with moderate to severe hearing loss, compared with those with normal hearing, had greater odds of being retired (multivariable-adjusted OR 1.96; 95% CI 1.05-3.66). Participants presenting with concurrent visual impairment and moderate to severe hearing loss versus participants with no sensory loss had a significantly lower mean retirement age, 57.1 versus 58.7 years (multivariable-adjusted p-value=0.04). Participants with any hearing loss at baseline had significantly higher odds of being retired by the 10-year follow-up (age-sex adjusted OR 1.82; 95% CI 1.00-3.30); this became marginally non-significant after adjusting for all other covariates (multivariable-adjusted OR 1.74; 95% CI 0.95-3.17). No associations were observed between DSI and the incidence of retirement.


CONCLUSIONS
Sensory impairment in older adults was independently associated with the decision to retire.
['Gopinath|Bamini|B|', 'Liew|Gerald|G|', 'Burlutsky|George|G|', 'McMahon|Catherine M|CM|', 'Mitchell|Paul|P|']
D000368:Aged D015331:Cohort Studies D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D004651:Employment D005260:Female D034381:Hearing Loss D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D012179:Retirement D014786:Vision Disorders D014792:Visual Acuity
Dual sensory impairment Employment Blue Mountains Eye Study Hearing loss Vision loss