Elderly people with hearing loss and cognitive decline: speech perception performance in noise

To verify the influence of verbal intellectual-cognitive skills on speech perception in noise, in elderly with sensorineural hearing loss, considering education, age, and degree of hearing loss.

36 elderly between 60 and 89 years old with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss participated in the study. After psychological assessment using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults (WAIS-III), they were grouped into (GI) 24 elderly without cognitive alteration and (GII) 12 elderly with risk of cognitive alteration. They underwent otorhinolaryngological assessment, audiological interview, pure tone audiometry, and assessment of speech perception in noise using the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT-Brazil). The Mann-Whitney U statistical test compared the results between the groups, and the Spearman correlation verified the variable's age, degree of hearing loss, and level of education.

There was no difference between the groups in the ability to perceive speech in noise, except in the noise on the left condition, in which GII showed better performance in HINT-Brazil. The degree of hearing loss and level of education influenced the perception of speech in noise. The level of education was correlated with the WAIS-III results.

The decline in verbal intellectual-cognitive skills did not affect speech perception of noise in the elderly with hearing loss. The degree of hearing loss and level of education influenced the performance of the elderly in the speech perception test in noise. Performance in verbal cognitive skills varied according to the level of education.