Physical Activity and Quality of Life in People With Visual Impairments: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Objective This systematic review aimed to investigate the relationship between physical activity and quality of life (QOL) in people with visual impairments. Methods: Electronic searches were performed in PubMed, SPORTdiscus, CINAHL, Embase, and Web of Science. Observational studies describing the relationship between physical activity and QOL in adults with visual impairments were included. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) adapted for cross-sectional studies was used to assess the quality of the studies. Results: Overall, 327 studies were identified, and eight met the inclusion criteria. All studies had cross-sectional designs and seven were performed in developed countries. Physical activity was assessed objectively by one study, and five studies used the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire was the most used instrument to measure QOL. Six studies reported a positive relationship between physical activity and QOL domains, as follows: life satisfaction, activity limitation, fair or poor health, physically and mentally unhealthy days, psychological health, and overall QOL. Conclusion: People with visual impairments who are engaged in physical activity are more likely to have better QOL outcomes.

Effects of two exercise programs on health-related fitness, quality of life and exercise enjoyment in adults with visual impairment: a randomized crossover trial

“…We recently showed that people with VI are more likely to report improved quality of life when engaging in sufficient levels of physical activity [24]. However, evidence regarding physical activity and quality of life outcomes in people with VI is mostly from observational studies, and lacks on evaluate a specific type of activity, such as sports or non-sports activities [24]. Our data supports the hypothesis of a causal relationship between exercise practice and increased quality of life, particularly through the physical and environmental domains.…”

The strategies used by adults with visual impairment

“…Research to date on individuals with visual impairment generally focuses on children (Ball et al, 2022; Manista & Doikou, 2022; Philip et al, 2022) or older adults with visual impairment (Liu & Chang, 2020; Nastasi, 2020; Smallfield & Kadenberg, 2020). Little research addresses the lives of middle-aged persons with visual impairment (Caputo et al, 2022; Lund & Cmar, 2019) as services typically are provided upon onset of visual impairment at birth or as an older adult with age-related vision loss. Globally, there are over 2.2 billion people who are blind or visually impaired (World Health Organization, 2019).…”