Are rehabilitation professionals familiar with visual impairments? A survey of professional orders in Quebec, Canada.
Journal
Optometry and vision science : official publication of the American Academy of Optometry
ISSN: 1538-9235
Titre abrégé: Optom Vis Sci
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 8904931
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
18 Mar 2024
18 Mar 2024
Historique:
medline:
27
3
2024
pubmed:
27
3
2024
entrez:
27
3
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
The number of patients with mild to moderate visual impairments (MVIs) is increasing as the average age of the population increases. Thus, it is important to understand the training and resources available for rehabilitation practitioners to provide adequate care to these patients within their scope of practice. This study explores rehabilitation professionals' perceptions of their competence in screening and treating patients with MVI, and identifying the tools and resources needed to increase these professionals' comfort level in managing these patients. Data collection was carried via an online questionnaire to Quebec rehabilitation professionals and student-trainees who are members of their respective professional orders. The questionnaire consisted of 29 to 30 questions (open- and close-ended) related to demographics, service provision to MVI patients, education in MVI and future training, and future service delivery to MVI patients. Data were collected from 96 professionals, with 52 fully completing the questionnaire, with all the responses included in the analysis. Most respondents had little or no confidence in adequately screening or treating patients with MVI and mentioned that they knew little or nothing about the range of services offered by vision rehabilitation centers in Quebec (81%), whereas 55% at least occasionally offer services to these patients. The majority felt that their profession would benefit from continuing education on MVI (73%), with a marked interest in online training. Rehabilitation professionals in Quebec are not confident in identifying or treating patients presenting MVI but express an interest in attending continuing education courses given by optometrists, low vision professionals, or a member of their own profession. Numerous barriers account for this problem, including a lack of experience and competence in the assessment and treatment options for MVI, as well as a lack of informational and human resources available in their workplaces.
Identifiants
pubmed: 38535974
doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000002109
pii: 00006324-990000000-00193
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Optometry.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None of the authors have reported a financial conflict of interest.
Références
Kumar H, Monira S, Rao A. Causes of missed referrals to low-vision rehabilitation services: causes in a tertiary eye care setting. Semin Ophthalmol 2016;31:452–8.
Cruess AF, Gordon KD, Bellan L, et al. The cost of vision loss in Canada. 2. results. Can J Ophthalmol 2011;46:315–8.
Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB). My Voice 2015: The views and experiences of blind and partially sighted people in the UK; 2015. Available at: https://www.rnib.org.uk/professionals/health-social-care-education-professionals/knowledge-and-research-hub/reports-and-insight/my-voice/. Accessed January 11, 2024.
World Health Organization (WHO). World Report on Vision; 2019. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241516570. Accessed January 11, 2024.
Gordon K. Paying the price: The cost of vision loss in Canada. Can J Optom 2010;72:11–8.
Colenbrander A, Goodwin L, Fletcher DC. Vision rehabilitation and AMD. Int Ophthalmol Clin 2007;47:139–48.
Scott IU, Smiddy WE, Schiffman J, et al. Quality of life of low-vision patients and the impact of low-vision services. Am J Ophthalmol 1999;128:54–62.
Wilkinson ME, Shahid KS. Low vision rehabilitation: an update. Saudi J Ophthalmol 2018;32:134–8.
Gottlieb DD, Miesner N. Innovative concepts in hemianopsia and complex visual loss—Low vision rehabilitation for our older population. Top Geriatr Rehabil 2004;20:212–22.
Leat SJ. A Proposed model for integrated low-vision rehabilitation services in Canada. Optom Vis Sci 2016;93:77–84.
Chiang PP, O'Connor PM, Le Mesurier RT, et al. A global survey of low vision service provision. Ophthalmic Epidemiol 2011;18:109–21.
Warren M. Providing low vision rehabilitation services with occupational therapy and ophthalmology: a program description. Am J Occup Ther 1995;49:877–83.
Studebaker J, Pankow L. History and evolution of vision rehabilitation: parallels with rehabilitation medicine, geriatric medicine, and psychiatry. Top Geriatr Rehabil 2004;20:142–53.
Roberts PS, Rizzo JR, Hreha K, et al. A conceptual model for vision rehabilitation. J Rehabil Res Dev 2016;53:693–704.
Weisser-Pike O, Bray R, Hanson H, et al. Addressing current issues in vision rehabilitation as a specialty practice of occupational therapy. Occup Ther Health Care 2023;37:316–25.
Livengood HM, Baker NA. The role of occupational therapy in vision rehabilitation of individuals with glaucoma. Disabil Rehabil 2015;37:1202–8.
Pankow L, Luchins D, Studebaker J, et al. Evaluation of a vision rehabilitation program for older adults with visual impairment. Top Geriatr Rehabil 2004;20:223–32.
Park WL, Mayer RS, Moghimi C, et al. Rehabilitation of hospital inpatients with visual impairments and disabilities from systemic illness. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2005;86:79–81.
Reichley TL. Occupational therapy and low vision rehabilitation. Occup Ther Health Care 1988;5:99–109.
Scheiman M, Scheiman M, Whittaker S. Low Vision Rehabilitation: A Practical Guide for Occupational Therapists. Thorofare, NJ: Slack Inc.; 2007.
Blanchard S, Chang WP, Heronema AM, et al. Common occupational therapy vision rehabilitation interventions for impaired and low vision associated with brain injury. Optom Vis Perform 2016;4:265–74.
Hill J III. Vision rehabilitation of patients with stroke. Optom Times J 2020;12. Available at: https://www.optometrytimes.com/view/vision-rehabilitation-of-patients-with-stroke. Accessed January 11, 2024.
Simpson-Jones ME, Hunt AW. Vision rehabilitation interventions following mild traumatic brain injury: a scoping review. Disabil Rehabil 2019;41:2206–22.
Suter PS, Harvey LH. Vision Rehabilitation: Multidisciplinary Care of the Patient following Brain Injury. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 2011.
Copolillo A, Warren M, Teitelman JL. Results from a survey of occupational therapy practitioners in low vision rehabilitation. Occup Ther Health Care 2007;21:19–37.
Deacy RM, Yuen HK, Barstow EA, et al. Survey of the low vision rehabilitation curricula in occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant programs. Am J Occup Ther 2012;66:e114–8.
Markowitz SN. State-of-the-art: low vision rehabilitation. Can J Ophthalmol 2016;51:59–66.
Robillard N, Overbury O. Quebec model for low vision rehabilitation. Can J Ophthalmol 2006;41:362–6.
Renaud J, Baudry É, Gresset J. Optometrists' attitudes toward visually impaired patients in the province of Quebec. Int Congress Ser 2005;1282:283–7.
Love J, Selker R, Marsman M, et al. JASP: graphical statistical software for common statistical designs. J Stat Softw 2019;88:1–17.
Feldman DE, Bellavance C, Frédérick D, et al. Gender issues in physiotherapy in Quebec, Canada. Physiother Can 2023;75:169–76.
Beagan BL, Fredericks E. What about the men? Gender parity in occupational therapy: Qu'en est-il des hommes? La parité hommes-femmes en ergothérapie. Can J Occup Ther 2018;85:137–45.
Boyd S, Hewlett N. The gender imbalance among speech and language therapists and students. Int J Lang Commun Disord 2001;36:167–72.