Mental health and suicide prevention in sensory impairment populations, Volume II

According to the World Health Organization, worldwide there are 2.2 billion people with vision impairment and it is projected that 700 million will have severe disabling hearing loss by 2050. There are also approximately 160 million people with deafblindness. These numbers are projected to increase as the population ages. People with sensory impairment (PwSI) – hearing, visual, and/or dual – have a higher risk of mental health (MH) disorders, suicidal ideation, and past suicide attempts. Sensory impairment can alter neural and perceptual processing in ways that plausibly contribute to these outcomes, yet the underlying perceptual, neural, neurobehavioral, and neuropsychological mechanisms linking sensory impairment to mental health and suicide-related outcomes remain poorly understood. Key to the effective management of mental illness is early identification and treatment to prevent long-term sequelae as well as the deleterious impact on quality of life. PwSI, however, face barriers in accessing healthcare services and information, and there is a paucity of data available on prevalence rates and the mechanisms that link sensory impairment to mental health and suicide risk in this population. Issues related to suicide specifically in this population are overlooked, and more research is needed to understand the neural and perceptual pathways involved, in order to inform the development of approaches in the healthcare system. Having this information is crucial to build an understanding of “what works,” enabling effective interventions to be designed.This Research Topic welcomes studies advancing our understanding of the perceptual, neural, neurobehavioral, or neuropsychological mechanisms associated with sensory impairment and their relationship with mental health and suicidal ideation. The objective is to build the body of evidence and provide baseline data on these mechanisms, filling current gaps in the literature and informing solutions for managing and preventing mental health difficulties and suicidal ideation in this population. Appropriate interdisciplinary contributions — for example on help-seeking behavior, healthcare provider education, or intervention design — are welcome where they are grounded in or connected to the sensory/perceptual neuroscience mechanisms at the core of this Topic.Potential topics of interest may include, but are not limited to:• Studies investigating the perceptual, neural, neurobehavioral, or neuropsychological mechanisms linking sensory impairment to mental health difficulties and suicidal ideation• Studies examining how alterations in sensory and perceptual processing relate to help-seeking behavior in PwSI with regard to suicide and mental health – barriers, facilitators, challenges, outcomes, and the impact of culture/religion• Neuroscience-informed educational/curricular initiatives to train healthcare students and/or healthcare providers on managing suicidal ideation and mental health in PwSI• Studies investigating the neural or perceptual underpinnings of the challenges healthcare providers face in managing PwSI with suicidal ideation and/or mental health issues• Interventions/inventions grounded in sensory/perceptual neuroscience to improve the mental health and medication journey of PwSI, e.g. health apps, assistive technologies, health promotional videos• Nonpharmacologic and pharmacological interventions targeting the neural mechanisms underlying suicide risk and suicidal ideation in PwSIAll article types are welcome.The first volume of this Research Topic can be found at: • Mental health and suicide prevention in sensory impairment populations Do not miss the chance to make your manuscript contribution and showcase your research alongside the research of other outstanding colleagues. Register your interest in the link below so our Topic Editors can make sure to extend deadlines for your submission if needed:• Participate in this topic Topic editors: Sojung Kim, Sabrina Anne Jacob, Anthony Vee Yee Alexander Chong Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85389/mental-health-and-suicide-prevention-in-sensory-impairment-populations-volume-ii