Association of Hearing Loss and Loneliness in Older Adults

Sung, Yoon K.; Li, Lingsheng; Blake, Caitlin R.; Betz, Joshua; Lin, Frank R.

doi:10.1177/0898264315614570

Cited by 117 publications

(93 citation statements)

References 30 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The association of hearing loss and loneliness has been previously documented in this population, as well as a population aged 18 to 30 years . This is consistent with other research, which has demonstrated an association between hearing loss and depression, social isolation, and anxiety .…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Individuals with hearing loss have been shown to have poorer health outcomes, including decreased cognitive function, quality of life, and mobility . The association between hearing impairment (HI) and loneliness has been reported in both younger and older adults . Hearing aids (HA) and cochlear implants (CI) are the most common devices used for the treatment of hearing loss.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…8 The association between hearing impairment (HI) and loneliness has been reported in both younger 9 and older adults. 10 Hearing aids (HA) and cochlear implants (CI) are the most common devices used for the treatment of hearing loss. However, there is limited research examining how hearing loss treatment impacts loneliness.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Change in loneliness after intervention with cochlear implants or hearing aids

et al. 2017

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective To investigate the impact of hearing aid and cochlear implant use on loneliness in adults Study Design Prospective observational cohort study Methods 113 adults aged ≥50 years with post-lingual hearing loss receiving routine clinical care at a tertiary academic medical center were evaluated with the UCLA Loneliness Scale before and 6 and 12 months after intervention with hearing aids or cochlear implants. Change in score was assessed using linear mixed effect models adjusted for age, gender, education, and history of hypertension, diabetes, and smoking. Results Significant improvements in loneliness scores were observed in cochlear implant users from baseline to 6 months (−3.79 [95% confidence interval (CI): −5.73, −1.85], P <.001) and baseline to 12 months (−3.26 [95% CI: −5.66, −0.87], P =.007). We did not observe a significant improvement in loneliness scores in hearing aid users from baseline to 6 months (−0.83 [95% CI: −2.68, 1.02], P =.381) or baseline to 12 months (−0.34 [95% CI: −2.77, −2.10], P =.007).The most substantial increases were observed in individuals with the lowest baseline scores. Conclusions Treatment of hearing loss with cochlear implants results in a significant reduction in loneliness symptoms. This improvement was not observed with hearing aids. We observed differential effects of treatment depending on the baseline loneliness score with the greatest improvements observed in individuals with the most loneliness symptoms at baseline.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Change in loneliness after intervention with cochlear implants or hearing aids

et al. 2017

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…They also spend less time out of the home, are at higher risk for withdrawal from leisure activities (Mikkola, Polku, Portegijs, Rantakokko, Tsai, et al, 2015) and are just generally at higher risk for social inactivity (Crews & Campbell, 2004;Mikkola, Polku, Portegijs, Rantakokko, Tsai, et al, 2015;Simonsick, Kasper, & Phillips, 1998;Viljanen, Törmäkangas, Vestergaard, & Andersen-Ranberg, 2014). In addition, studies have shown that poor hearing is associated with loneliness (Pronk, Deeg, & Kramer, 2013;Sung, Li, Blake, Betz, & Lin, 2015) and social isolation (Mick, Kawachi, & Lin, 2014;Mick & Pichora-Fuller, 2016). However, note that diverging results exist (Mick et al, 2014;Mick & Pichora-Fuller, 2016;Yamada, Nishiwaki, Michikawa, & Takebayashi, 2012), possibly caused by inconsistencies in hearing and social participation measures, and differences in study samples.…”

Section: Interaction Of Hearing Impairment Balance and Social Particmentioning

confidence: 78%

Untitled

Heinrich¹,

Gagné

Viljanen

et al. 2016

SIIW

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Successful communication is vital to active aging and well-being, yet virtually all older adults find it challenging to communicate effectively in noisy environments. The resulting discomfort and frustration can prompt withdrawal or avoidance of social situations, which, in turn, can severely limit the range of activities available to older adults and lead to a less active and satisfying lifestyle, and, in some cases, depression. Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health's (ICF) multifactorial model (WHO, 2001), we review the wider aspects of functioning and disability as they relate to hearing difficulties and communication, placing a particular emphasis on the work we, an international and interdisciplinary group of researchers, have done in the context of the ERA-NET funded interdisciplinary HEARATTN project. The ICF model is particularly fitting because it allows us to consider how physiological changes in hearing and cognition affect listening in various situations, what the consequences of these changes are for communicative abilities and social participation, and how this in turn affects life-space mobility, self-reported well-being, and, ultimately, quality of life. We will discuss how environmental conditions (both physical and social) and personal factors can affect how well older adults can communicate in the situations characteristic of everyday life. In the concluding section we discuss some behaviours, techniques and strategies that can be adopted to maintain or improve effective communication under difficult listening conditions.

show abstract

“…Elderly people who are hard of hearing have problems with communication and report a decrease in the quality of life and physical and cognitive activities [Bainbridge and Wallhagen, 2014]. Multiple studies have shown that hearing loss not only incapacitates the ability to communicate, but also that it is positively associated with depression, somatization disorder, and loneliness in older adults [Ciorba et al, 2012;Sung et al, 2015]. In addition, hearing loss was found to be associated with an increased risk of developing dementia [Fortunato et al, 2016;Lin et al, 2011;Peracino, 2014].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid Positive Influence of Cochlear Implantation on the Quality of Life in Adults 70 Years and Older

Knopke

Gräbel

Szczepek³

2016

Audiol Neurotol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The deteriorating ability to communicate has a negative impact on quality of life in the aging population. Cochlear implantation is increasingly used to treat hearing impairment and to restore the ability to communicate. Here, in a sample of 79 adults (70 years and older), we explored the effect of cochlear implantation on the health-related quality of life via the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire, auditory performance for speech recognition comparing scores on the Freiburg Monosyllabic Test and Oldenburg Inventory and tinnitus-related distress using the German version of the Tinnitus Questionnaire. We observed that the health-related quality of life and auditory performance increased significantly after cochlear implantation for the study cohort. After implantation, tinnitus-related distress declined significantly for the group. Our results support the concept of cochlear implantation treatment positively influencing the quality of life, restoring the auditory performance in older adults and reducing stress related to tinnitus. Importantly, positive effects were seen as early as 6 months after cochlear implantation, corroborating the rationale for cochlear implantation in adults 70 years and older.

show abstract

Association of Hearing Loss and Loneliness in Older Adults

Abstract: Younger age and greater hearing loss are independently associated with higher levels of loneliness in older adults presenting to clinic for hearing loss treatment. Further studies needed to determine whether hearing treatment can reduce loneliness in older adults.

Cited by 117 publications

References 30 publications

Change in loneliness after intervention with cochlear implants or hearing aids

Change in loneliness after intervention with cochlear implants or hearing aids

Untitled

Rapid Positive Influence of Cochlear Implantation on the Quality of Life in Adults 70 Years and Older

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About