Social Determinants of Health and Self-Reported Visual Impairment: An Analysis of the 2016 NHIS Data

In 2015, more than 3 million adults over the age of 40 in the United States suffered from visual impairment. By 2050, this number is expected to double to 6.95 million. Previous studies have suggested that vision screening and early eye disease detection may prevent a high proportion of individuals from experiencing unnecessary vision loss. However, little is known about the role of social determinants of health (SDOH) as predictors for visual impairment, and a useful screening tool for early disease detection is not available. The purpose of this study is to facilitate the creation of such a screening tool by elucidating the interactions between SDOH and self-reported visual impairment.