High Prevalence of Untreated Depression in Patients Accessing Low-Vision Services

Summary

Depression is common in those with a visual impairment and particularly so in those seeking help at low vision rehabilitation clinics, but just how prevalent is it and are people getting the help they need? The data in this report are from the Depression in Visual Impairment Trial (DEPVIT), a multicentre, randomized controlled trial that screened >1000 consecutive attendees at low vision rehabilitation clinics in Britain (ISRCTN46824140).3 Two important aims of the study were to estimate the prevalence of significant depressive symptoms in consecutive attendees at National Health Service (NHS) funded low vision rehabilitation services in Britain and to identify the proportion currently accessing treatments for depression. Overall, the prevalence of significant depressive symptoms, as measured by a GDS-15 scoreof ≥6, was 43% (95% CI, 40%e46%). And, of those who screened positive for significant depressive symptoms, 74.8% (95% CI, 79.2%e70.7%) were not being treated for their depression.