Food Worry in the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Population During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Nourishing the Mind: How Food Security Influences Mental Wellbeing

Food insecurity is a significant public health problem worldwide and critical to mental health. There is a complex relationship between food security and mental health. We carried out a narrative review study aiming to address how food insecurity impacts mental wellbeing by focusing on the mental health repercussions of food insecurity, recognizing its pivotal role in attaining Sustainable Development Goals 2 (on hunger) and 3 (on enhancing global wellbeing). A comprehensive search was conducted on PubMed and Google Scholar, incorporating Google searches for pertinent reports and policy documents. To address these questions, we emphasized and elucidated the interconnectedness between food security and mental health. The review shows that food security and mental health share a profound relationship influenced by multifaceted factors like socioeconomic conditions, access to nutritious food, and societal inequalities. We then provide recommendations for integrating food security into mental health strategies based on the insights and conclusions drawn. Strategies ranging from sustainable farming practices to urban agriculture initiatives and digital mental health services demonstrate avenues for enhancing food safety and mental wellbeing. This highlights the need for collaborative interdisciplinary efforts and systemic reforms to address these interconnected challenges.

Food Insecurity and Hearing Loss Are Interrelated: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to assess whether objectively measured hearing loss and self-perceived hearing handicap in adults are independently associated with food insecurity, and vice versa.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional population-based study.

POPULATION

2,500 participants aged 50+ years from the Blue Mountains Hearing Study, with both complete pure-tone audiometry data and information on food security status.

MEASUREMENTS

The pure-tone average of frequencies 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 kHz (PTA0.5-4KHz) >25 dB HL in the better ear, established the presence of hearing loss. Self-perceived hearing handicap was assessed by administering the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Elderly Screening (HHIE-S total scores of ≥8 indicates hearing handicap). A 12-item food security survey was administered, comprising statements related to individual and household food situations.

RESULTS

Food insecurity was reported by 12.8% of study participants. After adjusting for all potential confounders, any self-perceived hearing handicap significantly increased the likelihood of participants reporting food insecurity by 94% (p<0.0001). Participants reporting any, mild or severe self-perceived hearing handicap had around 2-fold greater odds of experiencing food insecurity. Objectively measured hearing loss did not significantly influence the food security status of study participants. Conversely, food insecurity was significantly associated with both objectively measured hearing loss and self-perceived hearing handicap: multivariate-adjusted OR 1.37 (95% CI 1.01-1.88) and OR 1.83 (95% CI 1.40-2.39), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Food insecurity was an important social determinant of hearing health among community-dwelling adults. Conversely, participants with a significant self-perceived hearing handicap were more likely to experience food insecurity. These findings add to our understanding of the substantial public health impact of both food insecurity and hearing loss and may highlight areas for future intervention.

Evaluating Equity Through the Social Determinants of Hearing Health

Hearing loss in adults is a significant public health problem throughout the world. Undiagnosed and untreated hearing loss causes a measurable impact on health and social, occupational, and emotional well-being of those affected. In spite of a wide array of health care resources to identify and manage hearing loss, there exist vast disparities in outcomes, as well as access to and utilization of hearing healthcare. Hearing rehabilitation outcomes may vary widely among different populations and there is a pressing need to understand, in a broader sense, the factors that influence equitable outcomes, access, and utilization. These factors can be categorized according to the widely accepted framework of social determinants of health, which is defined by the World Health Organization as "the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age." According to Healthy People 2030, these determinants can be broken into the following domains: healthcare access and quality, education access and quality, social and community context, economic stability, and neighborhood and built environment. This article defines these domains and examines the published research and the gaps in research of each of these domains, as it pertains to hearing health and healthcare. Herein, we review foundational sources on the social determinants of health and hearing-related research focused on the topic. Further consideration is given to how these factors can be evaluated in a systematic fashion and be incorporated into translational research and hearing health care.

Deaf adults at higher risk for severe illness: COVID-19 information preference and perceived health consequences

OBJECTIVES

This study explores deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) individuals' preferred sources of information for COVID-19 and their perceptions of developing severe illness from COVID-19 given underlying medical conditions.

METHODS

A national online bilingual American Sign Language/English survey was conducted from April 17 to May 1, 2020. Weighted sample of 474 DHH adults living in the United States. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine independent associations of sociodemographic variables and health indicators with perceived COVID-19 health consequences.

RESULTS

About 44% of the medical condition sample used the Internet (English-based text) first for COVID-19 information, followed by TV (24%). Only 1% selected healthcare provider as the go-to source; the remainder got information from family or friends. Perceived health consequences increased with age (adjusted OR = 1.04; CI 95% = 1.02, 1.06). At-risk respondents who self-identified as persons of color were nearly three times more likely to believe that their health will be severely affected by COVID-19 compared to respondents who self-identified as white (adjusted OR = 2.94; CI 95% = 1.20, 7.18).

CONCLUSIONS

Perception of COVID-19 health consequences vary among DHH adults at higher risk for severe illness.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Information delivery methods must be flexible and comprehensive to meet the diverse community's needs, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.