Epidemiologic evidence suggests older adults with hearing loss may be particularly vulnerable to depression, and to social isolation and loneliness.
The prevalence of depression is nearly twice as high among older adults with hearing loss (19%) compared to in the general population of older adults (10%). Nearly a quarter of older adults in the U.S. are socially isolated and more than a third feel lonely.
Hearing loss has also been shown to negatively impact health-related quality of life. Hearing treatment has the potential to be a valuable addition to current pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments for depression, may offer a novel approach to reducing social isolation and loneliness among older adults, and could positively influence health-related quality of life in older age.
ACHIEVE researchers conducted secondary analyses of the ACHIEVE study to investigate the effect of hearing intervention (versus a successful aging health education control intervention) on health outcomes related to mental health and well-being over 3 years in 70‐84 year‐old, well‐functioning and cognitively-normal adults with hearing loss.
