Longitudinal Relationship Between Hearing Aid Use and Cognitive Function in Older Americans.
Asri Maharani1, Piers Dawes2, James Nazroo3
1Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|April 12, 2018
Summary
Hearing aid use positively impacts cognitive function in older adults, slowing memory decline. Early intervention with hearing aids may help mitigate dementia risk.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuroscience
- Public Health
Background:
- Cognitive decline is a significant concern in aging populations.
- Hearing impairment is prevalent among older adults and linked to cognitive deficits.
- The impact of hearing aid use on cognitive trajectories remains an important research question.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of hearing aid use on cognitive trajectories in adults aged 50 and older.
- To determine if hearing aid use alters the rate of cognitive decline over time.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal cohort study using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) (1996-2014).
- Analysis included 2,040 older adults (≥50 years) with at least three waves of data, initiating hearing aid use between Waves 4 and 11.
- Episodic memory was assessed using a 10-word recall test; cognitive trajectories were analyzed using a joint model accounting for attrition.
Main Results:
- Hearing aid use showed a positive association with episodic memory scores (β=1.53, p<.001).
- The rate of episodic memory decline was significantly slower after initiating hearing aid use (β=-0.02, p<.001) compared to before (β=-0.1, p<.001).
- Findings remained robust after adjusting for confounders and attrition.
Conclusions:
- Hearing aids may mitigate cognitive decline trajectories in later life.
- Early provision of hearing aids or hearing rehabilitation services could potentially reduce the global incidence of dementia.
- Addressing hearing impairment is a potential public health strategy for preserving cognitive function in aging populations.
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