Sensory impairment and mental health in old age: The moderating role of physical activity

Purpose To establish the interactive association between physical activity, sensory impairment and mental health. Methods The data were obtained from Wave 9 of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The sample included responses of 68,709 participants aged 50 years and older. The analysis was performed with regard to both risk of being in each state (logistic regression models) and the extent of their severity (linear regression models). Results Engagement in physical activity was associated with reduction of the negative association between sensory impairment and the risk and the severity of depression, being evident mainly in respondents with visual and dual sensory impairments. In contrast, engagement in physical activity was associated with reduction of the negative effect sensory impairment had on the severity, but not the risk, of loneliness. Conclusions The findings support previous research. They largely suggest that engagement in physical activity represents a protective factor against the negative effect of sensory impairment on mental health. However, this protective role is pronounced more in older adults with particular types of sensory impairments than others as well as with respect to different mental health indicators.