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BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Aging and Public Health
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1448638
This article is part of the Research Topic Mental health and suicide prevention in sensory impairment populations View all articles

Were There Any Missing Mediators Between Visual Impairment and Anxiety Symptoms? Results from Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey

Provisionally accepted
Wen Yao Wen Yao 1*Yuan Cao Yuan Cao 1Yuan Tian Yuan Tian 2yuanyuan liu yuanyuan liu 1*xin hua xin hua 1*fang chen fang chen 1*
  • 1 Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
  • 2 Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Introduction: Visual impairment, encompassing low visual acuity and visual field loss, significantly impacts the elderly population worldwide, leading to increased disability and mortality risks. Recent studies suggest a strong association between visual impairment and anxiety, particularly among older adults. This study aims to explore the relationship between visual impairment and anxiety symptoms in elderly individuals in China, and to investigate potential mediating factors. Methods: Data for this study were derived from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), including 11,702 participants aged 65 and older. Visual impairment was assessed through self-reported visual function, while anxiety symptoms were measured using the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7). Additional assessments included sleep quality and duration, exercise status, and dietary diversity. Logistic regression models and mediation analysis were employed to explore associations and mediating effects.The findings indicate that visual impairment is significantly associated with increased anxiety symptoms among the elderly (OR=1.51, 95% CI: 1.32 -1.72, P < 0.001). Mediation analysis revealed that sleep quality, dietary diversity score (DDS), and plant-based DDS significantly mediated the relationship between visual impairment and anxiety. In contrast, sleep duration, exercise, and animal-based DDS did not show significant mediating effects. Conclusion: Visual impairment is a crucial predictor of anxiety symptoms in the elderly. Improving sleep quality and promoting a diverse plant-based diet may mitigate anxiety symptoms in this population. Interventions targeting these areas could enhance the mental health and quality of life of elderly individuals with visual impairment.

    Keywords: visual impairment, Anxiety, Sleep, Exercise, Diet, Mediating role

    Received: 18 Jun 2024; Accepted: 07 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Yao, Cao, Tian, liu, hua and chen. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Wen Yao, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
    yuanyuan liu, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
    xin hua, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
    fang chen, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.