The mental health symptoms of individuals with sensory disabilities and the reasons that lead to COVID-19 vaccine refusal and hesitancy.

The relationship between the reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy or refusal among people with sensory disabilities and mental health conditions (MHCs) are unclear. Data from the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey were analyzed to examine reasons for COVID-19 vaccination refusal among persons with sensory disabilities. Multivariable logistic and polytomous regression were used to examine the relationships among sensory disability status, MHC, and reasons for vaccine refusal and hesitancy. Individuals with sensory disabilities had higher proportion of anxiety and depression than those without a sensory disability. Individuals with a sensory disability and MHCs were less likely to obtain a vaccine and have a general distrust in the COVID-19 vaccine and the government than those without a disability or a MHC. These findings can assist in tailoring messages and developing programs to increase COVID-19 vaccination trust and uptake among individuals with disabilities and MHCs.

Depression as a mediator of the association between vision and/or hearing loss and recent substance use: NHANES 2013-2018.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has demonstrated a significant association between vision and/or hearing loss and lifetime substance use. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this analysis was to assess whether depression mediates the association between vision and/or hearing loss and recent substance use (RSU). METHODS: Data from 9408 NHANES 2013-2018 participants were used for a survey-weighted analysis to assess whether the indirect effect (IE) of disability status (neither, vision loss only, hearing loss only, both) on the outcome RSU (past 30-day use of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, or heroin) was mediated by recent (past 2 weeks) depression (Patient Health Questionnaire- 9 items score; none = 0-4, mild or greater = 5+), adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: The estimated prevalence of vision and/or hearing loss, mild or greater depression, and RSU were 6.7 %, 24.1 %, and 16.8 %. RSU was significantly positively associated with disability status before (p = .018) but not after adjusting for depression (p = .160), and the indirect effects were statistically significant (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The data are consistent with the hypothesis that recent depression mediates the association between vision and/or hearing loss and RSU. Initiatives may be needed that incorporate a focus on the prevention, management, or care for depression to intervene on the pathway between hearing and/or vision loss and RSU.

Vision and hearing loss associated with lifetime drug use: NHANES 2013-2018.

BACKGROUND: One in four American adults has a disability. Individuals with disabilities are more likely to have mental health issues and use substances and are less likely to attend substance use rehabilitation compared to individuals without disabilities. However, most research about substance use and substance use rehabilitation does not focus specifically on sensory disabilities. OBJECTIVE: The purpose was to test the association between vision and/or hearing loss, lifetime drug use, and lifetime drug rehabilitation. METHODS: Data files from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles (2013-2014, 2015-2016, 2017-2018) were combined. Ordinal logistic regression was used to test the association between vision and hearing loss and lifetime drug use and binary logistic regression to test the association with lifetime rehabilitation among those who had used drugs, adjusting for multiple testing and the complex survey design. RESULTS: There was a significant association between vision and hearing loss status and lifetime drug use (p = .018), but not with lifetime rehabilitation (p = .972). Post-hoc comparisons were not statistically significant. However, individuals with vision loss only and hearing loss only had 36% and 37% greater odds, respectively, of drug use than those without a disability, and those with both vision and hearing loss had 18% greater odds of drug use than those with either alone. CONCLUSIONS: Persons with disability were more likely to have used drugs but were not more likely to have gone to drug rehabilitation.