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PubMedDate not supplied

[Barrier contraceptives and the IUD: educational technology for the visually impaired].

Family planning is fundamental for the appropriate structuring of the family. This offers knowledge to decide on the number of children, and the most adequate moment to have them. The current health information being advertised is based on visual communication. This fact hinders the access of visually impaired people to such important knowledge. The present study has as objectives the creation of self-instructional educational material concerning mechanical contraceptive methods and IUD, as well as its evaluation. The research was divided in two methodological parts. In the first part, methods that explored the senses of hearing and touch were elaborated. In the second part, these methods were tested by a sight impaired couple. The data for the evaluation was obtained through interviews. Results show that the use of appropriate content and language facilitate the understanding of the contraceptive methods by these people. Verbal and tactile communication was favored and contributed on the reconstruction of citizenship for the visually impaired.

Contraception↗
PubMed2004

Causes of low vision and use of optical aids in the elderly.

PURPOSE: To determine the causes of low vision in an elderly population attended by a university visual rehabilitation service and to check for the use of prescribed optical aids. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was carried out on patients aged 60 years or over attending for the first time a university low vision service in 2001. Ophthalmic reevaluation and interview were performed by means of a structured questionnaire in 2002. RESULTS: The sample comprised 50 subjects aged between 60 and 90 years. Severe low vision (< or =20/200) was present in 68.0% of patients. The main cause of low vision was age-related macular degeneration (44.0%). Regarding literacy, 16.0% were illiterate and 72.0% had completed fundamental schooling. Thirty-one patients (62.0%) had been prescribed optical aids; 54.8% of these patients stated that they use them. A majority (70.6%) held a favorable opinion of these aids. CONCLUSIONS: The main cause of low vision was age-related macular degeneration. Approximately half of those receiving prescriptions reported actually using the aids in their daily activities. Making best use of residual vision in the elderly population with visual impairment is a priority, given the social context, if the independence necessary for enhanced quality of life is to be achieved.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2004

Contributions of sensation and perception studies to the design of artificial environments.

It is argued that knowledge of cognitive psychology, and hence also of sensation and perception, one of its branches, is indispensable when one aims at improving our artificial environment. Four examples of sensation and perception studies are described. Firstly, an experiment was discussed to design a postal code format that can be used accurately in terms of the capacity of short-term visual memory. The second example describes a perceptual conflict between visual and bodily (kinesthetic/proprioceptive) sensations that arises as a result of wrongly designing buildings. In the third example it is shown that vibrotactual displays should present frequencies that trigger the Pacinian system in the skin if people have to make quick and accurate decisions. Finally, a study of a simple acoustic orientation system that can promote indoor travel and activity by blind people was described.

Auditory Perception↗
PubMed2004

Design specifications of audio-guidance systems for the blind in public spaces.

The government of Fukuoka City conducted a survey to determine the effectiveness of an audio-guidance system for the blind. The blind participants confirmed the usefulness of the audio-guidance. In addition, the blind participants and the walking instructors also provided various comments and suggestions for the better utilization of audio-guidance systems for smoother transportation. In order for the participants to be able to recognize auditory signals, it was important to be able to hear them at their peak volumes. To understand the actual meaning of announcements, however, the average volumes of the signals were more important than their peak volumes. The blind participants suggested that auditory signals and announcements should provide short and simple messages. The walking instructors provided comments regarding the placement of loudspeakers to enhance auditory localization. They recommended hanging the loudspeakers from ceilings located in front of passengers. Furthermore, the necessity of controlling excess reverberations was indicated in order to better enable blind citizens to recognize and localize the auditory signals. It was suggested that using different auditory signals for different purposes and places was effective for smoother transportation.

Acoustics↗
PubMed2005

Why are inappropriate barrier-free acoustic designs for visually impaired persons provided?

In Japan, many sounds designed for the visually handicapped are not only useless, but also create noise for the impaired and non-impaired people alike. Interview surveys with visually handicapped people were analyzed to reveal why inappropriate barrier-free acoustic designs have been provided for them. Responses from participants were divided into three categories: (1) mistaken needs-assessments, (2) poor technical knowledge of the visually impaired and (3) problems of power/political relationships. Furthermore, the responses of almost all the participants seemed to apply as well to other kinds of barrier-free designs, in spite of the fact that the topic of this survey focused only on acoustic designs. The results suggest that we must examine social as well as technical and psychological issues when we plan barrier-free designs.

Environment↗
PubMed1998

Gait and long cane kinematics: a comparison of sighted and visually impaired subjects.

Although visually impaired individuals have used the long cane to increase mobility for many years, few empirical studies have examined the effectiveness of this tool. The purposes of this research were to determine if these cane procedures provide adequate protection for visually impaired individuals and to compare sighted and visually impaired gait mechanics. Seven sighted (four females, three males) and five visually impaired subjects (two females, three males) were videotaped at 60 Hz by two cameras situated at opposite 45 degrees angles to the subjects' frontal plane so that three-dimensional coordinates could be calculated via direct linear transformation. One-way analyses of variance were calculated on 17 variables to determine if there was a significant biomechanical difference between sighted and visually impaired gait at an adjusted alpha = .003. The results showed that for both groups the cane tip touched outside where the foot landed and that the only variable significantly different between the two groups was resultant cane velocity. The major conclusion of this research was that present cane techniques may not provide adequate protection for visually impaired individuals since the purpose of mobility training is to have the person touch the ground with the cane tip at the foot contact positions.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2000

Depictions of motion devised by a blind person.

A blind man (E.A.) was asked to draw pictures suggesting wheels in various kinds of motion. Six pictures were drawn by E.A. The pictures were shown to sighted subjects, who were asked to assign labels to the pictures, in a multiple-choice format. The labels were assigned at a rate above chance. We argue that the pictures are metaphoric and that pictorial metaphor relies on common properties of the static picture and the kinetic referent.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Characteristics of a pediatric low-vision population.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of the causes of childhood blindness is important to develop preventive and therapeutic strategies that can reduce the incidence of visual impairment. METHODS: A retrospective survey of the clinical records of 395 consecutive children younger than 14 years of age who were attended by the Low Vision Service of State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) was conducted. Data on the age distribution, the causes of low vision, the types of low vision aids prescribed, the follow up of their use, and improvement in visual acuity were obtained. RESULTS: Congenital bilateral toxoplasmic macular scars, optic atrophy, and congenital cataracts were the major causes of low vision in this population. The optical aid most frequently prescribed was a telescope. The improvement of visual acuity with the use of aids was highly significant.

Adolescent↗