Visual impairment and depression: Age-specific prevalence, associations with vision loss, and relation to life satisfaction
Audun Brunes, Trond Heir
Abstract
BACKGROUND: To our knowledge, no study has obtained specific estimates of depression for young and middle-aged adults with visual impairment (VI). As estimates of depression varies across age groups in the general population, it is of interest to examine whether the same applies to adults with low vision or blindness. AIM: To estimate depression prevalence and its association with VI-related characteristics and life satisfaction in adults with VI. METHODS: ., major depression and other depressive disorders) across categories of gender and age (years: 18-35, 36-50, 51-65, ≥ 66). The associations were estimated using regression models. RESULTS: Overall, 736 adults participated in the study (response rate: 61%). The prevalence estimates of depression varied across different age groups, ranging from 11.1%-22.8% in women and 9.4%-16.5% in men, with the highest rates for the two youngest age groups. Results from the multivariable models including sociodemographic and VI-related variables showed that losing vision late in life [Prevalence ratio (PR), 1.76, 95%CI: 1.11, 2.79] and having other impairments (PR: 1.88, 95%CI: 1.32, 2.67) were associated with higher rates of depression, whereas older age was associated with lower rates (PR: 0.83, 95%CI: 0.74, 0.93). Additionally, participants who were depressed had lower life satisfaction than those who were not depressed (adjusted β: -2.36, 95%CI: -2.75, -1.98). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that depression in adults with VI, and especially among young and middle-aged adults, warrants greater attention by user organisations, clinicians, and healthcare authorities.