Abstract
This study aimed to examine associations between physical inactivity and mental health in Spanish adults with vision or hearing difficulties and explored differences between men and women. Data from the Spanish National Health Survey in 2017 were analyzed (n = 23,089 adults, 15–103 years, mean age 53.4 ± 18.9 years, 45.9% men). Physical inactivity (exposure) was evaluated with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form. Participants self-reported whether they had previously suffered from depression, chronic anxiety and other mental-health complications (outcomes). Associations between physical inactivity and mental-health complications were assessed with multivariable logistic regression in people with difficulty seeing and hearing, after grouping by gender and adjusting for age, body-mass index, education level, living as a couple, smoking and alcohol consumption. The overall multivariable logistic-regression analyses showed that women with vision impairment showed significant associations between physical inactivity and depression (OR 1.403, 95% CI 1.015–1.940) and other mental-health complications (OR 2.959, 95% CI 1.434–6.104). In the overall analyses, there were no significant associations in men and in people with hearing impairment. The age-stratified analyses showed that inactive people with visual impairment who were <65 years old had a higher risk of mental-health conditions. In conclusion, physical activity has been shown to be important in the prevention of mental-health complications. Healthcare practitioners and policy makers should look at appropriate strategies to increase levels of physical activity in people with vision loss, especially in women and in those <65 years old.
Highlights
It is known that people with low levels of physical activity show a higher risk of depression and anxiety [3–6]
The age-stratified analyses showed that inactive women with vision impairment who were
Our results suggest that physical activity has an important role in the prevention of mental-health conditions, especially in women and people who are
Summary
Mental-health complications pose significant global quality-of-life challenges, with anxiety and depression being the most prevalent mental-health complications [1,2]. Depression has been estimated to affect approximately 264 million people worldwide [1]. It is one of the main global causes of disability, considerably contributing to the global burden of disease [1]. Anxiety has been estimated to affect approximately 284 million people worldwide [2]. It is important to identify population groups with a high prevalence of mental-health complications in order to reduce their prevalence through targeted prevention efforts. It is known that people with low levels of physical activity show a higher risk of depression and anxiety [3–6]. It is known that people with disability
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: International journal of environmental research and public health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.