Factors associated with health-related quality of life among people with visual impairments living in nursing homes in Armenia: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: The study aimed to examine the effect of visual impairment (VI), eye diseases, and other risk factors on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in nursing home residents in Armenia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study administered an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire to collect information about socio-demographics, chronic diseases, HRQoL, smoking, receiving and giving instrumental/emotional social support, and sleeping disorders among 313 nursing home residents. An ophthalmic examination of the participants was conducted.

Results: The mean age was 72.5 years, ranging from 45.5 to 91.4. Women constituted 50% of the sample. The prevalence of normal vision by presenting visual acuity with available correction was 55.3%, while VI and blindness were present in 40.8% and 3.9%, respectively. Uncorrected refractive error (URE) was found in 20% of participants. The mean HRQoL score was 51.3, ranging from 7.9 to 95.0. In the adjusted analysis, having at least one chronic non-communicable disease, sleeping disorders, eye diseases, URE, VI, blindness, and giving instrumental social support were associated with HRQoL.

Conclusions: Regular eye care services could improve the eye health and HRQoL of nursing home residents. Interventions addressing vision loss and chronic non-communicable diseases could enhance the functioning and overall well-being of the target population.