Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33997744›Full record

ArticleEClinicalMedicine2021

Global economic productivity losses from vision impairment and blindness.

Ana Patricia Marques, Jacqueline Ramke, John Cairns, Thomas Butt, Justine H Zhang, Debbie Muirhead, Iain Jones, Brandon A M Ah Tong, Bonnielin K Swenor, Hannah Faal and 3 more

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

Article in EClinicalMedicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 109 papers, 15 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
109citing papers in PubMed, 15 pooled it
21.1field-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

109 citing papers in PubMed, 15 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 209 citations in OpenAlex.

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  15. DoesJournal of evidence-based integrative medicine
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49 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

13 authors at 10 institutions in 6 countries.

Ana Patricia MarquesLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.
Jacqueline RamkeLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.
John CairnsLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.
Thomas ButtUniversity College London, London, United Kingdom.
Justine H ZhangLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.
Debbie MuirheadThe Fred Hollows Foundation, Melbourne, Australia.
Iain JonesSightsavers, Haywards Heath, United Kingdom.
Brandon A M Ah TongThe Fred Hollows Foundation, Melbourne, Australia.
Bonnielin K SwenorThe Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States.
Hannah FaalDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
Rupert R A BourneVision & Eye Research Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Kevin D FrickCarey Business School, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States.
Matthew J BurtonLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.
Johns Hopkins University · USLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine · GBCambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · GBManchester Royal Eye Hospital · GBMoorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust · GBSightsavers · GBThe University of Melbourne · AUUniversity College London · GBUniversity of Auckland · NZUniversity of Calabar · NG

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn the absence of accessible, good quality eye health services and inclusive environments, vision loss can impact individuals, households and communities in many ways, including through increased poverty, reduced quality of life and reduced employment. We aimed to estimate the annual potential productivity losses associated with reduced employment due to blindness and moderate and severe vision impairment (MSVI) at a regional and global level.

methodsWe constructed a model using the most recent economic, demographic (2018) and prevalence (2020) data. Calculations were limited to the working age population (15-64 years) and presented in 2018 US Dollars purchasing power parity (ppp). Two separate models, using Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross National Income (GNI), were calculated to maximise comparability with previous estimates.

findingsWe found that 160.7 million people with MSVI or blindness were within the working age and estimated that the overall relative reduction in employment by people with vision loss was 30.2%. Globally, using GDP we estimated that the annual cost of potential productivity losses of MSVI and blindness was $410.7 billion ppp (range $322.1 - $518.7 billion), or 0.3% of GDP. Using GNI, overall productivity losses were estimated at $408.5 billion ppp (range $320.4 - $515.9 billion), 0.5% lower than estimates using GDP.

interpretationThese findings support the view that blindness and MSVI are associated with a large economic impact worldwide. Reducing and preventing vision loss and developing and implementing strategies to help visually impaired people to find and keep employment may result in significant productivity gains.

fundingMJB is supported by the Wellcome Trust (207472/Z/17/Z). JR's appointment at the University of Auckland is funded by the Buchanan Charitable Foundation, New Zealand. The

Identifiers

PMID33997744
PMCPMC8093883
OpenAlexW3158794809

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.