Takaki Ogawa1, Yasue Uchida2, Yukiko Nishita3, Chikako Tange3, Saiko Sugiura4, Hiromi Ueda5, Takafumi Nakada3, Hirokazu Suzuki3, Rei Otsuka3, Fujiko Ando6, Hiroshi Shimokata7. 1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Aichi Medical University, Japan; The Section of the National Institute for Longevity Sciences, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan. Electronic address: ogawa.takaki.045@mail.aichi-med-u.ac.jpand. 2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Aichi Medical University, Japan; The Section of the National Institute for Longevity Sciences, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan. 3. The Section of the National Institute for Longevity Sciences, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan. 4. The Section of the National Institute for Longevity Sciences, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan; Toyota Josui Mental Clinic, Japan. 5. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Aichi Medical University, Japan. 6. The Section of the National Institute for Longevity Sciences, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Aichi Shukutoku University, Japan. 7. The Section of the National Institute for Longevity Sciences, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan; Graduate School of Nutrition Sciences, Nagoya University of Arts and Sciences, Japan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hearing impairment (HI) is a major global health concern. In addition, social networks are important for healthy aging. This study aimed to examine the association between HI and social relationships. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This study was conducted by the National Institute for Longevity Sciences as part of its Longitudinal Study of Aging with 1176 Japanese participants aged 60 years or older (mean age 71.0 ± 7.4). The convoy model was used to evaluate participants' network size. A pure-tone average hearing level (HL) of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz in the better ear >25 dB HL was defined as HI. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess the relationship between HI and the network size, adjusting for age, gender, years of education, presence of depressive symptoms, and higher-level functional capacity score. RESULTS: The mean network sizes across the three circles of the convoy model differed significantly by HI status (18.7 ± 0.4 in the no-HI group vs 17.0 ± 0.5 in the HI group, p = 0.003). In particular, the number of non-kin in the outer circle was significantly less in the HI group (4.1 ± 0.2 vs 3.3 ± 0.3, p = 0.004). DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The social network size was significantly smaller in the HI group. The outer circle of people to whom the individual feels less close and the number of non-kin were related to the presence of HI. Therefore, HI may be associated with elderly people's social relationships.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Hearing impairment (HI) is a major global health concern. In addition, social networks are important for healthy aging. This study aimed to examine the association between HI and social relationships. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This study was conducted by the National Institute for Longevity Sciences as part of its Longitudinal Study of Aging with 1176 Japanese participants aged 60 years or older (mean age 71.0 ± 7.4). The convoy model was used to evaluate participants' network size. A pure-tone average hearing level (HL) of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz in the better ear >25 dB HL was defined as HI. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess the relationship between HI and the network size, adjusting for age, gender, years of education, presence of depressive symptoms, and higher-level functional capacity score. RESULTS: The mean network sizes across the three circles of the convoy model differed significantly by HI status (18.7 ± 0.4 in the no-HI group vs 17.0 ± 0.5 in the HI group, p = 0.003). In particular, the number of non-kin in the outer circle was significantly less in the HI group (4.1 ± 0.2 vs 3.3 ± 0.3, p = 0.004). DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The social network size was significantly smaller in the HI group. The outer circle of people to whom the individual feels less close and the number of non-kin were related to the presence of HI. Therefore, HI may be associated with elderly people's social relationships.
Authors: Young Sang Cho; Ga-Young Kim; Jae Hyuk Choi; Sin Sung Baek; Hye Yoon Seol; Jihyun Lim; Jin Gyun Park; Il Joon Moon Journal: J Korean Med Sci Date: 2022-01-10 Impact factor: 2.153