The hearing loss experienced by older adults can increase the risk of developing cognitive impairment, and even dementia, so treating this problem can have a very positive impact on their quality of life and contribute to preventing or delaying the disability associated with hearing loss. same.
Using a hearing aid is a simple, non-invasive method of treating hearing loss, and a new study by Keck Medicine researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) has found that using hearing aids can nearly reduce the risk of hearing loss. 25% risk of mortality in older people with hearing loss.
“We found that adults with hearing loss who used hearing aids regularly had a 24% lower risk of mortality than those who never used them,” said Dr. Janet Choi, an otolaryngologist at Keck Medicine and principal investigator of the study. “These results are interesting because they suggest that hearing aids may play a protective role in people’s health and prevent premature death.”
Previous studies have already shown that untreated hearing loss can reduce life expectancy, as well as increase the chances of suffering from social isolation, depression and dementia. However, there has been very little research evaluating whether hearing aid use can reduce the risk of death. According to Choi, the study constitutes the most comprehensive analysis yet of the relationship between hearing loss, hearing aid use and mortality in the United States. Their results have been published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity.
Lower levels of depression and dementia with hearing aid use
The team of researchers used data collected by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2012, which allowed them to identify 9,885 individuals with a mean age of 48.6 years who had completed audiometry evaluations – a test to measure hearing ability – and who answered questionnaires about their use of hearing aids. The researchers followed the participants for an average period of 10 years after the assessments.
A total of 1,863 adults had hearing loss, and 237 of them were regular hearing aid users, defined as those who reported using them at least once a week, five hours a week, or half the time, and 1,483 were identified as not device users. Subjects who reported using the devices less than once a month or less frequently were categorized as non-regular users.
“We found that adults with hearing loss who used hearing aids regularly had a 24% lower risk of mortality than those who never used them”
The study authors found that the nearly 25% difference in mortality risk between regular hearing aid users and never users remained stable, regardless of factors such as the degree of hearing loss (mild to severe), age, ethnicity, economic or educational level and other demographics, and medical history. There was no difference in mortality risk between non-regular and never-users, indicating that occasional hearing aid use may not provide any life-prolonging benefit.
Although the study did not examine why hearing aids may help those who need them live longer, Choi points to recent research linking hearing aid use to lower levels of depression and dementia. She hypothesizes that improvements in mental health and cognition that come with better hearing may lead to better overall health, which may increase life expectancy.
Choi hopes this study will encourage more people to use hearing aids, although she acknowledges that factors such as cost, stigma and difficulty finding devices that fit and work well are barriers to their use. The researcher is currently working on an AI-powered database that categorizes hearing aid options and tailors them to patients’ individual needs.
