Women With Sensory Loss More Likely To Be Mentally Ill

Researchers from the UK find that women with vision, hearing, or dual (both vision and hearing) sensory loss are over two times more likely to suffer depression and anxiety than men with sensory. The research team analyzed survey data //from over 23,000 adults. The participants had self-reported if they suffered from depression or anxiety and whether they experienced vision, hearing, or dual sensory impairment.

Analysis revealed that women had a 2 to 2.56 higher prevalence rate of depression and anxiety than men. In addition, women with dual sensory impairment were almost 3.5 times more likely to report depression or anxiety than those without impairments. In contrast, men with dual sensory impairment were over 2.5 times more likely to have depression and almost twice as likely to have anxiety than those with no impairment.

Professor Shahina Pardhan, lead author, said, "Our study found that while sensory loss, particularly both vision and hearing loss, results in a higher number of the population reporting depression and anxiety, the association is particularly strong in women.”

"This highlights the importance of interventions to address vision and hearing loss, especially in women. Some sensory loss is preventable or treatable, and clearly, these issues are taking their toll not just on physical health, but mental health too."



Source-Medindia