History of Incarceration and Vision Trajectories in Older US Adults

• In Event: Integrating Health and Aging into Criminological Inquiry

Abstract

Although prior research has established that a history of incarceration is associated with poorer health over the life-course, relatively little research has focused on the connection between prior incarceration and vision over time. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a history of incarceration is associated with trajectories of self-reported vision among U.S. adults aged 55 years and older. Data were from the 2012–2022 Health and Retirement Study (n = 8,379 respondents aged ≥55 years). Group-based trajectory modeling was used to identify longitudinal patterns of vision, and multinomial logistic regression estimated associations between incarceration history and trajectory group membership. Data were analyzed in 2026. Three distinct vision trajectories emerged: Stable Good Vision (65.5%), Increasing Poor Vision (25.6%), and Stable Poor Vision (8.9%). Overall, 6.7% (n=529) of respondents reported a history of incarceration. In adjusted models, prior incarceration was associated with a higher relative risk of membership in the Increasing Poor Vision group compared with the Stable Good Vision group (adjusted relative risk ratio=1.64; 95% CI=1.17, 2.30). These findings demonstrate the importance of coordinated strategies across correctional, public health, and aging systems to improve access to preventive eye care and reduce long-term visual impairment.

Authors

• Alexander Testa, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

• Luis Mijares, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

• Mengyao Hu, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

• Joana E. Andoh, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital

• Matthew Wade, University of California, Irvine

• Dylan B. Jackson, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health