Differences found in quality of life for Koreans, Americans after cataract surgery

Patients in the United States have more favorable health outcomes after cataract surgery than patients in Korea, a comparative study found. These differences may be attributed to country-specific differences in economic status, health care systems, cultural value systems and health policies, according to the study authors.

As a result, cross-cultural differences should be considered when making international quality-of-life assessments, the authors assert.

Researchers in the United States and Korea assessed 132 patients undergoing cataract surgery at Samsung and Kunyang General Hospital in Seoul, Korea, and a corresponding number of patients undergoing cataract surgery at Tulane University in New Orleans.

The Korean patients were more likely to be younger, less educated and have worse Snellen visual acuity scores than their U.S. counterparts. A multivariate analysis showed the U.S. patients had higher scores in general health, vitality and verbal rating for visual health, among other scores. After controlling for age, gender, education and Snellen acuity, the higher scores persisted for the U.S. patients.

“The difference in health-related quality of life between the two countries was quite clear, especially in the older age and highly educated group,” the authors said in the June issue of Ophthalmic Epidemiology.