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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 May 1.
Published in final edited form as: JAMA Ophthalmol. 2013 May;131(5):573–581. doi: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2013.2597

Table 2.

Crude Prevalence of Depression by Visual Function Status and Depression Severity in US Adults 20 Years of Age or Older, NHANES 2005–2008a

Status Participants,
No.
Prevalence of Depression, Weighted % (95% CI)
Moderate to Severe
(PHQ-9 Score of ≥10)
Mild
(PHQ-9 Score of 5–9)
Moderate
(PHQ-9 Score of 10–14)
Moderately Severe
to Severe
(PHQ-9 Score of ≥15)
Difficulty reading ordinary
  newsprintb
    No 8046 5.3 (4.5–6.3) 13.3 (12.3–14.5) 3.5 (3.0–4.1) 1.7 (1.3–2.3)
    Yes 2419 13.4 (11.0–16.2) 20.6 (18.4–23.0) 8.5 (6.7–10.8) 4.6 (3.5–6.2)
Difficulty seeing up close
  when doing work or
  hobbies
    No 8527 5.6 (4.8–6.5) 13.8 (12.7–14.9) 3.8 (3.3–4.5) 1.7 (1.3–2.2)
    Yes 1938 12.9 (10.6–15.7) 19.6 (17.3–22.1) 7.7 (6.0–9.8) 5.1 (3.8–6.8)
Difficulty seeing steps or
  curbs in dim light
    No 8510 5.3 (4.5–6.1) 13.0 (11.9–14.2) 3.5 (3.0–4.1) 1.7 (1.3–2.2)
    Yes 1954 15.9 (13.0–19.2) 24.4 (22.1–26.8) 9.9 (7.8–12.4) 5.9 (4.6–7.5)
Difficulty noticing objects
  off to the side
    No 9328 5.8 (5.0–6.7) 14.0 (13.0–15.1) 3.9 (3.3–4.6) 1.8 (1.4–2.2)
    Yes 1140 19.7 (16.0–24.0) 23.8 (20.1–27.9) 11.2 (8.5–14.5) 8.4 (6.4–10.9)
Difficulty finding object on a
  crowded shelf
    No 9119 5.6 (4.8–6.6) 13.9 (13.0–14.9) 3.8 (3.2–4.5) 1.7 (1.3–2.3)
    Yes 1347 18.4 (15.1–22.3) 22.8 (19.9–26.1) 10.9 (8.3–14.2) 7.4 (5.5–9.8)
Difficulty driving in the
  daytime in a familiar place
    No 9798 6.1 (5.2–7.2) 14.6 (13.6–15.6) 4.1 (3.4–4.8) 2.0 (1.6–2.5)
    Yes 655 25.0 (20.0–30.7) 20.2 (15.8–25.3) 15.1 (11.2–20.1) 9.7 (6.2–14.9)
Impaired visual functionc
    No 6609 4.8 (4.0–5.7) 12.1 (11.0–13.2) 3.2 (2.7–3.8) 1.5 (1.1–2.0)
    Yes 3871 11.3 (9.7–13.2) 20.1 (18.5–21.8) 7.1 (5.9–8.6) 4.0 (3.2–5.1)

Abbreviations: NHANES, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; PHQ-9, 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire.

a

Defined as a PHQ-9 score of 10 or greater.

b

Moderate, extreme, or unable to do.

c

Defined as any of the impaired visual functions listed.