Psychological distress and well-being among sensory impaired individuals during COVID-19 lockdown measures.

Autor: Merten N; Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI; Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI; Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI. Electronic address: natascha.merten@wisc.edu., Schultz AA; Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI., Walsh MC; Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI., van Landingham SW; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI., Peppard PE; Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI., Ryff CDS; Institute on Aging/Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI., Malecki KC; Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Annals of epidemiology [Ann Epidemiol] 2023 Mar; Vol. 79, pp. 19-23. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Jan 10.
DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2023.01.002
Abstrakt: Purpose: Hearing and vision impairment are prevalent chronic conditions associated with poorer mental health. Limitations of in-person contacts during COVID-19-related lockdown measures may affect those with sensory impairments more severely exacerbating mental health problems. We aimed to determine whether hearing and/or visual impairment were associated with more psychological distress during a time of lockdown measures in Spring/Summer 2020 in Wisconsin.
Methods: We included 1341(64% women, aged 20-92 years) Survey of the Health of Wisconsin COVID-19 survey participants (May 2020-July,2020). We assessed self-reported current mental health and well-being and vision and hearing impairment. Logistic regression models with sensory impairments as determinants and mental health outcomes were adjusted for age, gender, race, education, heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes.
Results: Vision impairment was associated with increased odds of generalized anxiety disorder (odds ratio = 2.10; 95% confidence interval = 1.32-3.29) and depressive symptoms (2.57;1.58-4.11), greater likelihood to report loneliness (1.65;1.00-2.64) and hopelessness (1.45;1.01-2.08). Hearing impaired individuals reported more loneliness (1.80;1.05-2.98) and hopelessness (1.42;0.99-2.03). Exploratory analyses revealed that sensory impaired individuals less often chose walking as a coping strategy during the pandemic.
Conclusions: Individuals with sensory impairment may represent a particularly vulnerable population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research should determine underlying reasons and interventions to mitigate this populations' disadvantages.
(Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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