Poorer subjective hearing is associated with less frequent and more negative social interactions in older adults

Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic conditions among U.S. adults, with increasing incidence and severity from middle age onward. Hearing loss is frequently linked to feelings of loneliness and social isolation, especially with advancing age, although the mechanisms underlying these links are not well defined. We examined the associations between subjective hearing and frequency and quality of routine social interactions in a national sample of adults.

Data were from the second waves of the Midlife in the United States study and the National Study of Daily Experiences. Participants (N = 1,870) rated their hearing compared to peers, reported frequency of contact with friends and family, and were interviewed daily for 8 consecutive days about positive and negative social interactions during each day.

Poorer subjective hearing was associated with significantly less frequent social contact, a greater number of arguments and avoided arguments across the 8-day period, and fewer positive interactions. The only evidence of moderation was the association between hearing and the number of arguments; Black (compared to White) participants with poorer hearing had fewer arguments, but otherwise age, sex, and race and ethnicity did not moderate any of the associations between subjective hearing and frequency or quality of social interactions.

These results support the possibility that impaired hearing may affect the quality of routine social interactions, potentially increasing the risk of social isolation and loneliness.