Improvement of older-person-specific QOL after hearing aid fitting and its relation to social interaction

This study aimed to investigate whether hearing aids use is associated with improvement of older-person-specific QOL and whether social interactions modify the association.

The WHOQOL-OLD questionnaire was answered by 105 older adults aged 60 to 90 years who were newly fitted hearing aids on the day of fitting and at 2 - 6 months afterward. The associations between the daily hours of hearing aid usage and social relations with changes in the WHOQOL-OLD total score after hearing aids fitting were estimated adjusting for possible confounders.

Older persons with hearing loss experienced significant increases in WHOQOL-OLD total score after hearing aid fitting. Regular use of hearing aid was associated with a greater increase in the total score. The combined categorical variable of social relations and hearing aid usage revealed no separate effects of these two variables, but a combined effect; only those with frequent social interactions who used their hearing aid regularly had a significantly greater increase in WHOQOL-OLD total score.

This study's findings indicate that hearing aid fitting may be associated with a subsequent improvement in older-person-specific QOL by improvements in hearing due to the hearing aid, and possibly enhanced communication opportunities.