Assessing How Young Adults Utilize Eye Care Services
Standing
Undergraduate
Type of Proposal
Oral Research Presentation
Challenges Theme
Open Challenge
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Jessica Kichler
Proposal
Previous research identified the barriers and facilitators that older adults associate with regularly attending eye care services; however, no current research has examined this in young adults. The present study assessed how young adults utilize eye care services, which included investigating factors that may be influencing their regular attendance to these services. Eighty participants who either wear corrective lenses (i.e., eyeglasses or contacts) or have been advised by a professional that they should be wearing them were recruited to participate from the University of Windsor Department of Psychology Participant Pool. Data was collected to measure participants’ vision-related quality of life (QOL) along with the barriers and facilitators associated with regularly attending eye care services. Employed participants exhibited significantly lower vision-related QOL compared to unemployed participants, t(78) = 59.60, p<.05. Participants with private employment-based insurance identified significantly less barriers to accessing eye care services compared to participants without it, t(73) = 44.11, p< .05. Participants who regularly attended eye care services once a year reported significantly lower vision-related QOL, t(78) = 73.17, p< .05, and less facilitators to accessing these services, t(78) = 70.62, p< .05, when compared to participants who did not attend as often. This study was the first to examine the barriers and facilitators associated with attending eye care services in a young adult population. Future research should look to conduct similar studies with a general young adult sample to see if the results are consistent across different groups of young adults.
Grand Challenges
Viable, Healthy and Safe Communities
Assessing How Young Adults Utilize Eye Care Services
Previous research identified the barriers and facilitators that older adults associate with regularly attending eye care services; however, no current research has examined this in young adults. The present study assessed how young adults utilize eye care services, which included investigating factors that may be influencing their regular attendance to these services. Eighty participants who either wear corrective lenses (i.e., eyeglasses or contacts) or have been advised by a professional that they should be wearing them were recruited to participate from the University of Windsor Department of Psychology Participant Pool. Data was collected to measure participants’ vision-related quality of life (QOL) along with the barriers and facilitators associated with regularly attending eye care services. Employed participants exhibited significantly lower vision-related QOL compared to unemployed participants, t(78) = 59.60, p<.05. Participants with private employment-based insurance identified significantly less barriers to accessing eye care services compared to participants without it, t(73) = 44.11, p< .05. Participants who regularly attended eye care services once a year reported significantly lower vision-related QOL, t(78) = 73.17, p< .05, and less facilitators to accessing these services, t(78) = 70.62, p< .05, when compared to participants who did not attend as often. This study was the first to examine the barriers and facilitators associated with attending eye care services in a young adult population. Future research should look to conduct similar studies with a general young adult sample to see if the results are consistent across different groups of young adults.