Post-traumatic stress reactions among individuals with visual impairment: a systematic review

Summary

A systematic review of post-traumatic stress reactions among individuals with visual impairment. Qualitative and quantitative studies were identified through searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Cochrane Libraries. Study quality was assessed for all the included studies and extracted data were synthesized using narrative analysis. Results from the qualitative studies illustrated multiple physical, behavioural, emotional, and cognitive manifestations of trauma. Four out of five quantitative studies showed that various types of potentially traumatic events were significantly associated with mental health adversities (p < 0.05). The prevalence of post-traumatic mental disorders was 4–21.2% for depression, 0.9% for dysthymia, and 32% for substance misuse. The quality of the reviewed studies was considered low to moderate. Traumatic experiences appear to have a great impact on the mental health in people with visual impairment (VI) and these results highlight their need for mental health care. Future studies with higher methodological rigor are recommended.