Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39169290›Full record

ArticleBMC psychiatry2024

The multiple mediating effects of vision-specific factors and depression on the association between visual impairment severity and fatigue: a path analysis study.

Wouter Schakel, Christina Bode, Peter M van de Ven, Hilde P A van der Aa, Carel T J Hulshof, Gerardus H M B van Rens, Ruth M A van Nispen

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Article in BMC psychiatry, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Wouter SchakelAmsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Ophthalmology, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, 1007 MB, the Netherlands. w.schakel@amsterdamumc.nl.ORCID 0000-0001-7189-1451
Christina BodeUniversity of Twente, Psychology, Health and Technology, Enschede, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-1641-8028
Peter M van de VenUMC Utrecht, Data Science and Biostatistics, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Hilde P A van der AaAmsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Ophthalmology, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, 1007 MB, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-1853-5674
Carel T J HulshofAmsterdam UMC Location Academic Medical Center, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-2720-456X
Gerardus H M B van RensAmsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Ophthalmology, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, 1007 MB, the Netherlands.
Ruth M A van NispenAmsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Ophthalmology, PO Box 7057, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, 1007 MB, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-1227-1177

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSevere fatigue is a common symptom for people with visual impairment, with a detrimental effect on emotional functioning, cognition, work capacity and activities of daily living. A previous study found that depression was one of the most important determinants of fatigue, but less is known about disease-specific factors in this patient population. This study aimed to explore the association between visual impairment severity and fatigue in adults with low vision, both directly and indirectly, with vision-specific factors and depression as potential mediators.

methodsCross-sectional data were collected from 220 Dutch low vision service patients by telephone interviews. Fatigue was defined as a latent variable by severity and impact on daily life. Potential mediators included vision-related symptoms, adaptation to vision loss and depression. Hypothesized structural equation models were constructed in Mplus to test (in)direct effects of visual impairment severity (mild/moderate, severe, blindness) on fatigue through above mentioned variables.

resultsThe final model explained 60% of fatigue variance and revealed a significant total effect of visual impairment severity on fatigue. Patients with severe visual impairment (reference group) had significantly higher fatigue symptoms compared to those with mild/moderate visual impairment (β = -0.50, 95% bias-corrected confidence interval [BC CI] [-0.86, -0.16]) and those with blindness (β = -0.44, 95% BC CI [-0.80, -0.07]). Eye strain & light disturbance, depression and vision-related mobility mediated the fatigue difference between the severe and mild/moderate visual impairment categories. The fatigue difference between the severe visual impairment and blindness categories was solely explained by eye strain & light disturbance. Moreover, depressive symptoms (β = 0.65, p < 0.001) and eye strain & light disturbance (β = 0.19, p = 0.023) were directly associated with fatigue independent of visual impairment severity.

conclusionsOur findings indicate an inverted-U shaped relationship between visual impairment severity and fatigue in patients with low vision. The complexity of this relationship is likely explained by the consequences of visual impairment, in particular by strained eyes and depressive mood, rather than by severity of the disability itself.

Indexed as

DepressionFatigueSeverity of Illness IndexVision, LowActivities of Daily LivingAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNetherlandsVision DisordersDepressionFatigueLow visionStructural equation modelingVision-specific quality of lifeVisual impairment

Identifiers

PMID39169290
PMCPMC11337564

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