Abstract:
OBJECTIVE : Age-related hearing loss is one of the leading causes of disability in
older adults. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between untreated
hearing loss, social (perception of quality and quantity of social network) and emotional
loneliness (perception of limited emotional support), social isolation (size of the social
network), social support (actual or perceived availability of resources from the social
network) and psychological discomfort (depression, anxiety, and stress) in older adults.
STUDY DESIGN : Cross-sectional study design.
METHODS : A total of 202 community derived sample of volunteers, age range 40–89
years, mean age (M) = 65.3 ± 11.0 years were recruited. Of these 115 were females
(M = 63.2 ± 12.0 years) and 87 were males (M = 68.2 ± 8.9 years). All participants
completed a hearing assessment, social interaction and support questionnaire and a
social and emotional loneliness questionnaire.
RESULTS : Hearing loss significantly contributed to both moderate [P < 0.001, B (95%
CI): 0.01 (0.99–1.02)] and intense levels [P < 0.001, 0.02 (1.00–1.04)] of emotional
loneliness. Depression was significantly associated with satisfaction with social support
[P < 0.001; −0.17 (−0.23 to −0.11), social interaction [P = 0.01; −0.07 (−0.12
to −0.01)], and moderate [P < 0.001; 0.31 (1.22–1.53)] and intense [P < 0.001;
0.29 (1.20–1.50)] levels of emotional loneliness and intense levels of social loneliness
[P = 0.01; 0.12 (1.05–1.21)].
CONCLUSION : Untreated hearing loss significantly increases the odds of being
emotionally lonely. Depression significantly contributes to social and emotional
loneliness, satisfaction with social support and social loneliness. Given the higher
prevalence of loneliness and psychological discomfort and their associations with untreated hearing loss, hearing-impaired older adults are at significant risk of developing
loneliness and psychological discomfort. Therefore, hearing health professionals should
be aware of the psychosocial burden that may accompany hearing loss, in order to
provide appropriate advice and support.
