Depression and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Older Adults With Hearing Loss in the ACHIEVE Study

Huang, Alison R.; Reed, Nicholas S.; Deal, Jennifer A.; Arnold, Michelle; Burgard, Sheila; Chisolm, Theresa; Couper, David; Glynn, Nancy W.; Gmelin, Theresa; Goman, Adele M.; Gravens-Mueller, Lisa; Hayden, Kathleen M.; Mitchell, Christine; Pankow, James S.; Pike, James R.; Schrack, Jennifer A.; Sanchez, Victoria; Coresh, Josef; Lin, Frank R.; ACHIEVE Collaborative Research Group

Abstract

Hearing loss is associated with cognitive/physical health; less is known about mental health. We investigated associations between hearing loss severity, depression, and health-related quality of life among older adults with unaided hearing loss. Data (N = 948) were from the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders Study. Hearing was measured by pure-tone average (PTA), Quick Speech-in-Noise (QuickSIN) test, and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE-S). Outcomes were validated measures of depression and health-related quality of life. Associations were assessed by negative binomial regression. More severe hearing loss was associated with worse physical health–related quality of life (ratio: .98, 95% CI: .96, 1.00). Better QuickSIN was associated with higher mental health–related quality of life (1.01 [1.00, 1.02]). Worse HHIE-S was associated with depression (1.24 [1.16, 1.33]) and worse mental (.97 [.96, .98]) and physical (.95 [ .93, .96]) health–related quality of life. Further work will test effects of hearing intervention on mental health.

Citation

Huang, A. R., Reed, N. S., Deal, J. A., Arnold, M., Burgard, S., Chisolm, T., …ACHIEVE Collaborative Research Group. (2024). Depression and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Older Adults With Hearing Loss in the ACHIEVE Study. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 43(5), 550–561. https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648231212291

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 9, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Nov 28, 2023
• Publication Date: 2024-05
• Deposit Date: Dec 12, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 9, 2024
• Journal: Journal of Applied Gerontology
• Print ISSN: 0733-4648
• Electronic ISSN: 1552-4523
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 43
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 550–561
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648231212291
• Keywords: hearing loss, depression, mental health, epidemiology
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/3420925