Depression and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Older Adults With Hearing Loss in the ACHIEVE Study

Alison R. Huang, Nicholas S. Reed, Jennifer A. Deal, Michelle Arnold, Sheila Burgard, Theresa Chisolm, David Couper, Nancy W. Glynn, Theresa Gmelin, Adele M. Goman, Lisa Gravens-Mueller, Kathleen M. Hayden, Christine Mitchell, James S. Pankow, James R. Pike, Jennifer A. Schrack, Victoria Sanchez, Josef Coresh, Frank R. Lin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Hearing loss is associated with cognitive/physical health; less is known about mental health. We investigated associations between hearing loss severity, depression, and health-related quality of life among older adults with unaided hearing loss. Data (N = 948) were from the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders Study. Hearing was measured by pure-tone average (PTA), Quick Speech-in-Noise (QuickSIN) test, and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE-S). Outcomes were validated measures of depression and health-related quality of life. Associations were assessed by negative binomial regression. More severe hearing loss was associated with worse physical health–related quality of life (ratio:.98, 95% CI:.96, 1.00). Better QuickSIN was associated with higher mental health–related quality of life (1.01 [1.00, 1.02]). Worse HHIE-S was associated with depression (1.24 [1.16, 1.33]) and worse mental (.97 [.96,.98]) and physical (.95 [.93,.96]) health–related quality of life. Further work will test effects of hearing intervention on mental health.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)550-561
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Applied Gerontology
Volume43
Issue number5
DOIs
StateAccepted/In press - 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2023.

Keywords

  • depression
  • epidemiology
  • hearing loss
  • mental health

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