Hearing status in older persons: a significant determinant of depression and loneliness? Results from the...

In this study, the authors' aims were to (a) determine the longitudinal relationships between baseline hearing status and 4-year follow-up depression and loneliness in an older population and (b) investigate possible differences across subgroups in these relationships.

The authors used data from 2 waves of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (4-year follow-up, baseline ages 63-93 years). Sample sizes were 996 (self-report analyses) and 830 (speech-in-noise test analyses). The authors used multiple linear regression analyses to assess the associations between baseline hearing status and 4-year follow-up of depression, social loneliness, and emotional loneliness. Hearing was measured by self-report and by a speech-in-noise test. Age, gender, hearing aid use, baseline depression or loneliness, and relevant confounders and effect modifiers were incorporated.

Both hearing measures showed significant associations with loneliness (p < .05), but these effects were confined to specific subgroups of older persons. For instance, adverse effects were confined to nonusers of hearing aids (self-report, social loneliness model) and men (self-report and speech-in-noise test, emotional-loneliness model). No significant effects appeared for depression.

Significant adverse effects of poor hearing on loneliness were found for specific subgroups of older persons. In future research, investigators should further examine the subgroup effects observed. Eventually, this may contribute to the development of tailored prevention programs.