PLoS ONE (Jan 2024)

Utility values and electronic device use in low-vision people attending rehabilitation services: Data from a nation-wide registry in Italy.

  • Gianni Virgili,
  • Eliana Costanzo,
  • Ilaria Biagini,
  • Mariacristina Parravano,
  • Alessia Di Simone,
  • Filippo Amore,
  • Mauro Tettamanti,
  • Simona Di Pietro,
  • Giovanni L Ciaffoni,
  • Giovanni Sato,
  • Giovanni Giacomelli,
  • Federico Bartolomei

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0308569
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19, no. 8
p. e0308569

Abstract

Read online

PurposeTo estimate utility values associated with visual loss using EuroQol (EQ-5D) questionnaire, the impact of low-vision (LV) device use on utilities and the contribution of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) score in patients attending vision rehabilitation (VR) services enrolled in the Italian Device & Aids Register (D.A.Re).MethodsThis is a multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional study. D.A.Re. collects general and clinical information, vision-specific variables, use of electronic devices and quality of life questionnaires.ResultsA total of 442 patients (75.0±16.6 years, 275 female) were included, 88 (19.9%) used specialised electronic LV devices, and 116 (26.2%) used smartphones and tablets. Users of smartphones and tablets were younger than non-users (67.5 vs. 77.6 years, pConclusionsVisual loss is associated with loss of utilities in Italian patients attending VR services, whereas special-purpose electronic aids, and smartphone and tablet use are associated with better utility values. We found that IADL may be more sensitive to visual loss than EQ-5D and could be a valid health-related quality of life outcome in trials on VR.