Prevalence and correlates of self-reported cataract among a nationally representative community-dwelling sample of older adults in India, 2017-2018

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of cataract in older adults in India. The cross-sectional sample consisted of 52,393 individuals (≥50 years) from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave 1 in 2017-2018. Self-reported cataract diagnosis was used to assess the cataract prevalence. Results indicate that the prevalence of self-reported cataract was 16.9%, 15.2% among men and 18.4% among women. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, older age, medium subjective socioeconomic status, urban residence, poor or fair self-rated health status, hypertension and diabetes were positively associated with self-reported cataract, while male sex and married were negatively associated with self-reported cataract. In addition, in unadjusted analysis, underweight, physical inactivity, angina, arthritis, lung disease, and poor self-rated vision was positively and ever tobacco and ever alcohol use were negatively associated with self-reported cataract. More than one in six older adults reported having been diagnosed with cataract in India. Several risk factors were identified, which can be targeted in public health interventions.