Aishwarya Shukla1,2, Michael Harper1, Emily Pedersen2, Adele Goman2,3, Jonathan J Suen2,4, Carrie Price5, Jeremy Applebaum1, Matthew Hoyer1, Frank R Lin2,3,6, Nicholas S Reed2,3,6. 1. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 2. Johns Hopkins Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 3. Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 4. Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 5. Welch Medical Library, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 6. Department of Otolaryngology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Social isolation and loneliness are associated with increased mortality and higher health care spending in older adults. Hearing loss is a common condition in older adults and impairs communication and social interactions. The objective of this review is to summarize the current state of the literature exploring the association between hearing loss and social isolation and/or loneliness. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library. REVIEW METHODS: Articles were screened for inclusion by 2 independent reviewers, with a third reviewer for adjudication. English-language studies of older adults with hearing loss that used a validated measure of social isolation or loneliness were included. A modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the studies included in the review. RESULTS: Of the 2495 identified studies, 14 were included in the review. Most of the studies (12/14) were cross-sectional. Despite the heterogeneity of assessment methods for hearing status (self-report or objective audiometry), loneliness, and social isolation, most multivariable-adjusted studies found that hearing loss was associated with higher risk of loneliness and social isolation. Several studies found an effect modification of gender such that among women, hearing loss was more strongly associated with loneliness and social isolation than among men. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings that hearing loss is associated with loneliness and social isolation have important implications for the cognitive and psychosocial health of older adults. Future studies should investigate whether treating hearing loss can decrease loneliness and social isolation in older adults.
OBJECTIVE: Social isolation and loneliness are associated with increased mortality and higher health care spending in older adults. Hearing loss is a common condition in older adults and impairs communication and social interactions. The objective of this review is to summarize the current state of the literature exploring the association between hearing loss and social isolation and/or loneliness. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library. REVIEW METHODS: Articles were screened for inclusion by 2 independent reviewers, with a third reviewer for adjudication. English-language studies of older adults with hearing loss that used a validated measure of social isolation or loneliness were included. A modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the studies included in the review. RESULTS: Of the 2495 identified studies, 14 were included in the review. Most of the studies (12/14) were cross-sectional. Despite the heterogeneity of assessment methods for hearing status (self-report or objective audiometry), loneliness, and social isolation, most multivariable-adjusted studies found that hearing loss was associated with higher risk of loneliness and social isolation. Several studies found an effect modification of gender such that among women, hearing loss was more strongly associated with loneliness and social isolation than among men. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings that hearing loss is associated with loneliness and social isolation have important implications for the cognitive and psychosocial health of older adults. Future studies should investigate whether treating hearing loss can decrease loneliness and social isolation in older adults.
Entities:
Keywords:
hearing loss; loneliness; older adults; social isolation
Authors: Bret R Rutherford; Katharine Brewster; Justin S Golub; Ana H Kim; Steven P Roose Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2017-12-05 Impact factor: 18.112
Authors: Thomas K M Cudjoe; David L Roth; Sarah L Szanton; Jennifer L Wolff; Cynthia M Boyd; Roland J Thorpe Journal: J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci Date: 2020-01-01 Impact factor: 4.077
Authors: Jennifer A Deal; Nicholas S Reed; Alexander D Kravetz; Heather Weinreich; Charlotte Yeh; Frank R Lin; Aylin Altan Journal: JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg Date: 2019-01-01 Impact factor: 6.223
Authors: Marieke Pronk; Dorly J H Deeg; Cas Smits; Theo G van Tilburg; Dirk J Kuik; Joost M Festen; Sophia E Kramer Journal: Int J Audiol Date: 2011-09-20 Impact factor: 2.117
Authors: Justin S Golub; Katharine K Brewster; Adam M Brickman; Adam J Ciarleglio; Ana H Kim; José A Luchsinger; Bret R Rutherford Journal: JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg Date: 2019-02-01 Impact factor: 6.223
Authors: Pablo Martinez-Amezcua; Pei-Lun Kuo; Nicholas S Reed; Eleanor M Simonsick; Yuri Agrawal; Frank R Lin; Jennifer A Deal; Luigi Ferrucci; Jennifer A Schrack Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2021-09-13 Impact factor: 6.053
Authors: Tal Koffler-Brill; Shahar Taiber; Alejandro Anaya; Mor Bordeynik-Cohen; Einat Rosen; Likhitha Kolla; Naama Messika-Gold; Ran Elkon; Matthew W Kelley; Igor Ulitsky; Karen B Avraham Journal: RNA Biol Date: 2020-11-01 Impact factor: 4.652
Authors: Kening Jiang; Adam P Spira; Nicholas S Reed; Frank R Lin; Jennifer A Deal Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2022-03-03 Impact factor: 6.591