Conclusion.The aims of this systematic review were to critically review and summarize the evidence from studies that examined the mental health of older adults with DSL and evaluate the quality of the evidence by comparing it to the STROBE statement. Most of the studies reviewed provided clear aims for their study, collected their data appropriately, described the method and data analysis well, provided valid findings and were applicable to this review and therefore contributed significantly to the evidence base concerning DSL and mental health in older adults. However, some studies that included younger adults did not differentiate the effects of DSL between different age groups.
Evaluation of the studies revealed that the selected studies were primarily cross-sectional in nature and based on large population-based studies not specifically designed to investigate the association between DSL and mental health in older people. Studies primarily collected sensory impairment data via self-report and less commonly by standardized vision and hearing acuity measurement. Depression, measured by a standardized depression scale, was the most common mental health variable investigated. Well-being was less frequently explored and there were no studies that investigated anxiety in participants with DSL.