Visual impairment tied to heightened risk of suicidal tendencies among teens

People with visual impairment may have increased suicidal tendencies, and this association is especially pronounced among adolescents, according to the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Researchers searched multiple online databases for studies in which the association between visual impairment and different aspects of suicide, including the assessment of risk levels and exploration of potential contributing factors, was explored.

Meta-analysis was conducted using random-effects models, with multiple meta-regression analyses performed to identify potential factors contributing to the association between visual impairment and the risk of suicide.

A total of 31 population-based studies with 5,692,769 unique participants (mean age 48.4 years, 52 percent female) met the eligibility criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The primary outcome was suicidal behaviour (eg, suicide attempt and suicide death).

Pooled data from 17 studies (n=5,602,285 individuals) showed that visual impairment was associated with more than twofold greater odds of suicidal behaviour (odds ratio [OR], 2.49, 95 percent CI, 1.71–3.63).

Similar associations were also found for the secondary outcomes. Specifically, participants with versus without visual impairment had greater odds of suicidal ideation (21 studies, n=611,899; OR, 2.01, 95 percent CI, 1.62–2.50) and suicide death (eight studies, n=5,067,113; OR, 1.89, 95 percent CI, 1.32–2.71).

In multiple meta-regression model, age group emerged as a predictive factor associated with suicidal behaviour, with the greatest odds observed among adolescents.

There was moderate heterogeneity in the results for suicide death and high heterogeneity in the results for suicidal behaviour and suicidal ideation.