Effect of continuity nursing on vision-related quality of life, anxiety, and perceived social support in patients with ocular trauma–related low vision: A propensity score–matched cohort study

Abstract

Ocular trauma is a leading cause of acquired low vision in working-age adults and often results in long-term functional disability and psychosocial burden. Post-discharge care strategies tailored to this population remain underdeveloped. This retrospective, propensity score–matched cohort study included adult patients with ocular trauma–related low vision treated at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (the First People’s Hospital of Zunyi) between January 2019 and December 2024. Patients who received structured continuity nursing after discharge were matched 1:1 to controls without such intervention based on 8 baseline covariates. Outcomes at 6 months included vision-related quality of life (25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire), anxiety symptoms (hospital anxiety and depression scale-anxiety), and perceived social support. Secondary outcomes included follow-up adherence and nursing satisfaction. Group differences were analyzed using independent t-tests and chi-square tests; correlation analyses explored associations among patient-reported outcomes. Among 377 screened patients with trauma-related low vision, 330 met all predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria and were eligible for further analysis. Of these, 65 patients received continuity nursing and 65 matched controls were selected for final analysis following propensity score matching. At 6-month follow-up, the intervention group reported higher 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire scores (mean difference 7.6; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.9–10.2; P < .001), lower hospital anxiety and depression scale-anxiety scores (–2.6; 95% CI: –3.4 to –1.8; P < .001), and greater perceived social support scale scores (6.4; 95% CI: 4.1–8.7; P < .001). Follow-up adherence was significantly higher in the intervention group (95.4% vs 81.5%; P = .028), and nursing satisfaction scores were also superior (mean difference 0.8; P < .001). Correlation analyses revealed modest associations between visual function and social support (r = 0.27; P = .002), but no significant relationship with anxiety. Continuity nursing was associated with improved functional, psychological, and care-related outcomes in patients with ocular trauma–related low vision. These findings highlight the potential utility of structured transitional care in optimizing recovery across clinical and patient-reported domains.