Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration is not associated with mental health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Australia: a cross-sectional exploratory study

TL;DR

This study found no overall link between vitamin D levels and mental health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, except for remote residents where higher vitamin D was associated with less distress.

Contribution

It provides novel insights into the specific association between vitamin D and mental health in remote Indigenous populations, highlighting the importance of geographic stratification.

Findings

No significant association in the total population.

Significant inverse association among remote residents.

Public health strategies to improve vitamin D status are recommended.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration and mental health, measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale 5 (K5), among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the 2012-2013 Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey. Multiple linear regression was used to test the association between serum 25(OH)D concentration and K5, adjusting for age, sex, education, remoteness, socioeconomic status, season of blood collection, smoking, and alcohol intake (n = 1,983). We also stratified the analysis by sex and by remoteness. Results: There was no statistically significant association between serum 25(OH) concentration and K5 in the total population, nor when stratified by sex. When stratified by remoteness, higher serum 25(OH)D concentration was statistically significantly associated with lower K5 scores among those living remotely (adjusted \b{eta}: -0.18; 95% CI: -0.35, -0.01). Conclusions: Serum 25(OH)D concentration was inversely associated with psychological distress only among those living remotely. Implications for Public Health: Given the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and the observed association between serum 25(OH)D concentration and psychological distress among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples living remotely, public health strategies to improve vitamin D status among this population group are warranted.