Table 2

Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of all randomised participants at pretest

VSM (n=36)Usual care (n=41)All participants (n=77)Significance
Socio-demographic characteristics
 Age, years*0.53
  Mean (SD)79.4 (7.2)80.4 (6.3)79.1 (6.7)
  Range65 to 9265 to 9765 to 97
 Gender0.21
  Male10 (27.8)17 (41.5)27 (35.1)
  Female26 (72.2)24 (58.5)50 (64.9)
 Marital status0.63
  Not married23 (63.9)24 (58.5)47 (61.0)
  Married or de facto13 (36.1)17 (41.5)30 (39.0)
 Living situation0.49
  Alone23 (63.9)23 (56.1)46 (59.7)
  With others13 (36.1)18 (43.9)31 (40.3)
 Education0.26
  Primary or less19 (52.8)15 (36.6)34 (44.2)
  Secondary school7 (19.4)14 (34.1)21 (27.3)
  Tertiary or vocational10 (27.8)12 (29.3)22 (28.6)
 Income (weekly)0.23
  ≤30025 (69.4)23 (56.1)48 (62.3)
  300+11 (30.6)18 (43.9)29 (37.7)
 Country of birth0.30
  Australia/New Zealand22 (61.1)31 (75.6)53 (68.8)
  UK8 (22.2)6 (14.6)14 (18.2)
  Other6 (16.7)4 (9.8)10 (13.0)
Clinical characteristics
 Health conditions0.79
  Vision loss only7 (19.4)7 (17.1)14 (18.2)
  Additional medical condition/s29 (80.5)34 (82.9)63 (81.8)
  Total no of health conditions54691230.46
  Mean (SD)*1.8 (0.8)2.0 (0.9)1.6 (1.1)
 Self-rated health0.15
  Excellent/very good6 (16.7)15 (36.6)21 (27.3)
  Good16 (44.4)14 (34.1)30 (39.0)
  Fair14 (38.9)12 (29.3)26 (33.8)
 Received low visual rehabilitation previously0.40
  Yes6 (16.7)10 (24.4)16 (20.8)
  No30 (83.3)31 (75.6)61 (79.2)
 Age when vision loss affected daily activities, mean (SD)*77.3 (7.0)77.2 (7.9)77.3 (7.5)0.94
 Years since vision loss affected daily activities0.31
  One or less20 (55.5)18 (43.9)38 (49.4)
  More than one16 (44.4)23 (56.1)39 (50.6)
 Primary diagnosis0.16
  Age-related macular degeneration26 (72.2)35 (85.4)61 (79.2)
  Other eye disease10 (27.8)6 (14.6)16 (20.8)
 Visual impairment0.40
  Mild9 (25.0)7 (17.1)16 (20.8)
  Moderate13 (36.1)21 (51.2)34 (44.1)
  Severe14 (38.9)13 (31.7)27 (35.1)
 Log of weighted visual acuity*, mean (SD)0.97 (0.50)1.0 (0.46)0.98 (0.47)0.79
 Log of worst eye, mean (SD)*1.41 (0.79)1.54 (0.77)1.48 (0.78)0.48
 Log of best eye mean (SD)*0.82 (0.48)0.82 (0.45)0.82 (0.46)0.98
 Subjective visual impairment0.11
  Fair7 (19.4)3 (7.3)10 (13.0)
  Poor29 (80.5)38 (92.7)67 (87.0)
 Depressed0.24
  Yes18 (50.0)15 (36.6)33 (42.9)
  No18 (50.0)26 (63.4)44 (57.1)
  • * Independent-samples t test.

  • Fischer exact test.