SynthesisEpidemiology and psychiatric sciences2026
Comparing the prevalence, incidence and severity of mental disorders between deaf and hard-of-hearing and hearing adults aged 18-60: a systematic review.
Synthesis in Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
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Abstract
aimExisting reviews on mental health disparities between deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) and hearing populations have focused predominantly on children, adolescents, or older adults, leaving a gap for working-age adults. We conducted a systematic review comparing the prevalence, incidence, and severity of any DSM-5-TR or ICD-11 mental disorder between DHH and hearing adults aged 18-60 years. We aimed to quantify disparities and examine disorder-specific patterns to inform future research, policy, and service development.
methodsOn 13 December 2025, we searched Ovid Medline, Embase, APA PsycINFO and Web of Science. We included analytical observational studies involving DHH and hearing adults aged 18-60 years, reporting mental disorder prevalence, incidence, or severity. Two researchers independently extracted data, and risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using the modified CLARITY tool. We narratively synthesised findings by aggregating outcomes at the study level using two approaches: summary and majority of the effect directions within a study. Subgroup syntheses examined outcome type, study RoB, age group and mental disorder category.
resultsSixty studies (
conclusionsMost available evidence indicates that the prevalence and severity of mental disorders are higher among DHH adults aged 18-60 years than among hearing adults, with limited evidence on incidence. No studies reported lower aggregated mental disorder outcomes for DHH adults. Addressing these disparities requires targeted intervention research, supported by population-based, longitudinal and (quasi-)experimental studies including comprehensive reporting of participant characteristics. This will inform more tailored interventions, improve screening and ultimately contribute to better mental health and quality of life for DHH adults.
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