Kate Patterson
Research Mentor: David Fresco
Mentor Department: Psychiatry, Medicine
Author(s): Kate Patterson, David Fresco, Jessica Stout
Session: Session 1 (9:00 AM – 9:50 AM)
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Abstract
Approximately 250M people worldwide struggle with blindness or uncorrectable low vision. Patients with inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) make up ~5M of these individuals and are expected to be legally blind by age 45-50, with novel gene therapy treatments not yet adequately addressing patient needs. Therefore, these patients often experience psychological distress with the anticipation of- and experience of eventual blindness that may lead to clinically significant anxiety and/or depression. There is very little published knowledge on the mental effects of vision loss in patients with IRDs (Inherited Retinal Disease). The aim of this study was to expand this knowledge base in a two step process. Aim 1 consists of a one time interview to gauge subject experiences with IRDs as well as its resulting impact on their mental health. Adults with IRDs from the Retinal Dystrophy Clinic at the University of Michigan’s Kellogg Eye Center consented to participate in an in-depth interview following an appointment with an IRD specialist. Interviews were completed over the phone or video call and included measures of anxiety and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9] : 9 items that assess depression symptoms; Michigan Vision Anxiety Question [MVAQ]: 14 items that assess vision-related anxiety; Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment [GAD-7]: 7 items that assess anxiety symptoms) . Aim 2 is a clinical trial in which subjects are offered LVR (Low Vision Rehabilitation) and vision enhancing devices as well as ERT (Emotion Regulation Therapy) for those who experience high vision-related anxiety The findings for this study are still being recorded and as Aim 1 is still ongoing. Based on the team’s previously conducted pilot study, we expect that patients with IRDs will report elevated depression and anxiety symptoms, which may indicate an unmet mental health service need.
