Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29447253›Full record

ArticlePloS one2018

Combined impairments in vision, hearing and cognition are associated with greater levels of functional and communication difficulties than cognitive impairment alone: Analysis of interRAI data for home care and long-term care recipients in Ontario.

Dawn M Guthrie, Jacob G S Davidson, Nicole Williams, Jennifer Campos, Kathleen Hunter, Paul Mick, Joseph B Orange, M Kathleen Pichora-Fuller, Natalie A Phillips, Marie Y Savundranayagam and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract readComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 87 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
87citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
12.4field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

87 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 166 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  7. Article
  8. Evaluating the Co-Design and Implementation of a Multicomponent Intervention to Improve Communication in Aged Care: A Nested Process Evaluation Protocol.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026
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  11. Prevalence of Hearing, Vision and Cognitive Impairment and Impact in Older Adults in Home Care: A Study Protocol.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026
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  12. Navigating Cognitive Screening and Service Delivery for Sensory Impairment in Occupational Therapy.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapie · 2026
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27 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 8 institutions in 1 country.

Dawn M GuthrieDepartment of Kinesiology & Physical Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-3241-6580
Jacob G S DavidsonDepartment of Kinesiology & Physical Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Nicole WilliamsDepartment of Kinesiology & Physical Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Jennifer CamposToronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Kathleen HunterFaculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Paul MickDepartment of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Joseph B OrangeSchool of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
M Kathleen Pichora-FullerDepartment of Psychology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Natalie A PhillipsDepartment of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Marie Y SavundranayagamSchool of Health Studies, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Walter WittichSchool of Optometry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Wilfrid Laurier University · CAWestern University · CACentre Intégré de Santé et de Services Sociaux des Laurentides · CAConcordia University · CAUniversity Health Network · CAUniversity of Alberta · CAUniversity of British Columbia · CAUniversity of Toronto · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe objective of the current study was to understand the added effects of having a sensory impairment (vision and/or hearing impairment) in combination with cognitive impairment with respect to health-related outcomes among older adults (65+ years old) receiving home care or residing in a long-term care (LTC) facility in Ontario, Canada.

methodsCross-sectional analyses were conducted using existing data collected with one of two interRAI assessments, one for home care (n = 291,824) and one for LTC (n = 110,578). Items in the assessments were used to identify clients with single sensory impairments (e.g., vision only [VI], hearing only [HI]), dual sensory impairment (DSI; i.e., vision and hearing) and those with cognitive impairment (CI). We defined seven mutually exclusive groups based on the presence of single or combined impairments.

resultsThe rate of people having all three impairments (i.e., CI+DSI) was 21.3% in home care and 29.2% in LTC. Across the seven groups, individuals with all three impairments were the most likely to report loneliness, to have a reduction in social engagement, and to experience reduced independence in their activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental ADLs (IADLs). Communication challenges were highly prevalent in this group, at 38.0% in home care and 49.2% in LTC. In both care settings, communication difficulties were more common in the CI+DSI group versus the CI-alone group.

conclusionsThe presence of combined sensory and cognitive impairments is high among older adults in these two care settings and having all three impairments is associated with higher rates of negative outcomes than the rates for those having CI alone. There is a rising imperative for all health care professionals to recognize the potential presence of hearing, vision and cognitive impairments in those for whom they provide care, to ensure that basic screening occurs and to use those results to inform care plans.

Indexed as

Activities of Daily LivingAgedAged, 80 and overAge FactorsCognitive DysfunctionCommunication DisordersCross-Sectional StudiesDisability EvaluationFemaleHearing LossHome Care ServicesHumansLonelinessLong-Term CareMaleNursing Homes

Identifiers

PMID29447253
PMCPMC5814012
OpenAlexW2790785132

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.