Can we represent the depreobesity genetically?

Association between hearing loss, depression, anxiety, and social isolation in middle-aged and older outpatients in Afghanistan

Background

Hearing loss (HL) is a major public health problem that is significant for mental health and physical conditions. HL may be a potentially modifiable risk factor for poorer mental health outcomes. The study aimed to explore the association between HL, social isolation, anxiety, and depression.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of consecutive patients aged 50 years or older (n = 226) from February 2023 to August 2023. We used regression models to assess the association between HL and the odds of social isolation, anxiety, and depression.

Results

There are more female participants with HL (58.7% vs. 41.3%) than male individuals with HL. HL was found to have a statistically significant association with smoking (p = 0.001), and HL showed significant associations with anxiety and depression (p = 0.008 and p = 0.011, respectively). A significant association was also observed between HL and social isolation (p = 0.016). HL was associated with diabetes mellitus (p = 0.006) and hypertension (p = 0.008). Participants with HL were more likely to have depression (OR = 2.16; 95% CI: 1.05-4.44), social isolation (OR = 2.87; 95% CI: 1.44-5.70), and anxiety (OR = 2.62; 95% CI: 1.21-5.67) compared to participants in the no hearing loss (No-HL) group.

Conclusions

This study shows that HL is consistently associated with poorer mental health symptoms and poor social isolation. Although additional evidence is necessary, it is plausible that addressing HL would alter this trajectory.

Screening Risks of Alcohol Abuse, Depressive Symptoms, and Decreased Health-Related Quality of Life in Post-Bariatric Patients and Their Relations to Weight Regain

PURPOSE

Not all patients who underwent bariatric surgery keep their regular medical follow-up. We screened alcohol use, depressive symptoms, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in post-bariatric patients who have lost medical follow-up at their first appointment in our healthcare unit. These screened disorders were compared between low vs. high ratios of weight regain (RWR) and correlated with surgical outcomes.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Ninety-four post-bariatric patients without medical follow-up (87.2% female, aged 42 ± 9 years, BMI = 32.9 ± 6.5kg/m²) were included. They underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (n = 80) or sleeve gastrectomy (n = 14). They were divided into high RWR (≥ 20%) and low RWR (< 20%) groups. We used Alcohol Use Disorders Inventory Test, Beck Depression Inventory, and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey.

RESULTS

Neck and waist circumferences, diastolic blood pressure, and time since surgery were higher in the high than low RWR group (P≤ 0.05). No differences between groups for alcohol use and depressive symptoms were detected (P≥ 0.07), but those who regained more weight exhibited poorer health scores in physical functioning, physical role limitations, bodily pain, and vitality (P≤ 0.05). In the low RWR group, the RWR was inversely correlated to physical/social functioning and vitality. Positive associations were present between RWR vs. depressive symptoms, while negative ones were noted to physical functioning and general health perception in the high RWR group.

CONCLUSIONS

HRQoL has deteriorated in those post-bariatric patients without medical follow-up who regained more weight, possibly indicating the need for regular long-term health care.