Lack of social support and social trust as potential risk factors for dry eye disease: JPHC-NEXT study

Abstract Purpose To investigate whether social support and social trust are associated with DED. Methods Cross-sectional data from the Japan Public Health Center-Based Prospective Study for the Next Generation (JPHC-NEXT) were used. Subjects are 96,227 Japanese men and women aged 40 to 74. Data from respondents included information on DED, social support and social trust. DED was defined as the presence of clinically diagnosed DED or severe symptoms. Social support was measured by emotional support and tangible support. Social trust was measured by level of general trust in others. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association of social determinants for DED. Results Individuals with high levels of social support and social trust were less likely to have severe symptoms of DED and clinically diagnosed DED (P for trend  Conclusions High levels of social support and social trust were associated with a lower prevalence of DED.