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The Brazilian Amazon Region Eye Survey: Design and Methods |
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| Authors: | Solange R. Salomão João Marcello Furtado Adriana Berezovsky Nívea N. Cavascan Alberto N. Ferraz Jr Jacob M. Cohen |
| Affiliation: | 1. Departamento de Oftalmologia e Ciências Visuais, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de S?o Paulo, S?o Paulo, SP, Brasilssalomao@unifesp.br;3. Departamento de Oftalmologia e Ciências Visuais, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de S?o Paulo, S?o Paulo, SP, Brasil;4. Departamento de Oftalmologia, Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia de Cabe?a e Pesco?o, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeir?o Preto da Universidade de S?o Paulo, Ribeir?o Preto, SP, Brasil;5. Divis?o de Oftalmologia, Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brasil;6. Instituto de Olhos de Manaus, Manaus, AM, Brasil |
| Abstract: | Purpose: To describe the study design, operational strategies, procedures, and baseline characteristics of the Brazilian Amazon Region Eye Survey (BARES), a population-based survey of the prevalence and causes of distance and near visual impairment and blindness in older adults residing in the city of Parintins. Methods: Cluster sampling, based on geographically defined census sectors, was used for cross-sectional random sampling of persons 45 years and older from urban and rural areas. Subjects were enumerated through a door-to-door survey and invited for measurement of uncorrected, presenting and best-corrected visual acuity and an ocular examination. Results: Of 9931 residents (5878 urban and 4053 rural), 2384 individuals (1410 urban and 974 rural) were eligible and 2041 (1180 urban and 861 rural) had a clinical examination (response rate 85.6%). The majority of participants were female (1041, 51.0%); the average age was 59.9 ± 11.1 years (60.2 ± 11.2 years for urban and 59.4 ± 11.1 years for rural); 1360 (66.6%) had primary schooling or less (58.1% in urban and 78.4% in rural) and 57.8% were resident in urban areas. The age distribution between sexes was similar (p = 0.178). Both sex and age distributions of the sample were comparable to that of the Brazilian Amazon Region population. Conclusions: The BARES cohort will provide information about the prevalence and causes of near and distance vision in this underprivileged and remote population in Brazil. |
| Keywords: | Adults baseline characteristics blindness Brazilian Amazon methodology population-based study visual impairment |