Evaluating Stairway Designs for Individuals With Vision Impairment

NCT ID: NCT07337317

Last Updated: 2026-01-13

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 65 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2026-01-31
• Study Completion Date: 2027-07-31

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to learn if contrast frequency on step tread-edges influences foot clearance measures, a marker of fall risk, in older adults with and without visual impairments.

The main questions that aim to be answered are how foot clearance measures change across different frequencies of stair contrast, and how experiences and perceptions of different stair contrast frequencies are evaluated.

Researchers will compare individuals with and without visual impairments to see if contrast frequency on step tread-edges changes.

Participants will attend one visit during which their vision will be measured, and they will be asked to ascend and descend laboratory stairs at different contrast frequencies.

An optional second visit will entail a focus group meeting to better understand how contrast affects mobility in their home and everyday life.

Conditions

Vision, Low; Mobility Limitation

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Intervention

All participants will participate in the experimental arm, that involves a factorial model approach inwhich all participants will experience all eight conditions.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Frequency of contrast marking on stair steps

Intervention Type: OTHER

Frequency of contrast marking on stair steps will be evaluated to determine how foot clearance, perceptions in older adults with and without impaired contrast sensivity

Interventions

Frequency of contrast marking on stair steps

Frequency of contrast marking on stair steps will be evaluated to determine how foot clearance, perceptions in older adults with and without impaired contrast sensivity

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. ≥ Contrast sensitivity log 1.6 or greater

2. travels independently in the community, including stairways > two times/week

3. comfortable ascending and descending a stairway with rest time provided

Exclusion Criteria

4. severe rheumatologic and or orthopedic diseases (e.g., awaiting joint replacement, active inflammatory disease)

5. lower-limb injuries and/or recent joint replacements (e.g., hip fracture, hip, or knee replacement within six months of study enrollment)

• Minimum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

The University of Alabama in Huntsville

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Sara Harper

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Sara A Harper, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Alabama in Huntsville

Locations

University of Alabama in Huntsville

Huntsville, Alabama, United States

Countries

United States

Central Contacts

Sara A Harper, PhD

Role: CONTACT

sah0075@uah.edu

2568242184

Facility Contacts

Sara A Harper, PhD

Role: primary

sah0075@uah.edu

2568242184

Other Identifiers

0011

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id