The cost of age related hearing loss: to treat or not to treat?

Multidimensional Risk Factors of Age-Related Hearing Loss Among Malaysian Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Purpose

This study evaluates the prevalence of and the multidimensional risk factors associated with age-related hearing loss (ARHL) among community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia.

Patients and Methods

A total of 253 participants aged 60 years and above participated in this cross-sectional study. The participants were subjected to pure tone audiometric assessment. The hearing threshold was calculated for the better ear and classified into pure-tone average (PTA) for the octave frequencies from 0.5 to 4 kHz and high-frequency pure-tone average (HFA) for the octave from 2 to 8kHz. Then, the risk factors associated with PTA hearing loss (HL) and HFAHL were identified by using multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results

The prevalence of ARHL based on PTA and HFA among the community-dwelling older adults was 75.5% and 83.0%, respectively. Following multifactorial adjustments, being older (OR: 1.239; 95% CI: 1.062–1.445), having higher waist circumference (OR: 1.158; 95% CI: 1.015–1.322), lower intake of niacin (OR: 0.909; 95% CI: 0.831–0.988) and potassium (OR: 0.998; 95% CI: 0.996–1.000), and scoring lower in RAVLT T5 (OR: 0.905; 95% CI: 0.838–0.978) were identified as the risk factors of PTAHL. Meanwhile, being older (OR: 1.117; 95% CI: 1.003–1.244), higher intake of carbohydrate (OR: 1.018; 95% CI: 1.006–1.030), lower intake of potassium (OR: 0.998; 95% CI: 0.997–0.999), and lower scores on the RAVLT T5 (OR: 0.922; 95% CI: 0.874–0.973) were associated with increased risk of having HFAHL.

Conclusion

Increasing age, having higher waist circumference, lower intake of niacin and potassium, higher intake of carbohydrates and having lower RAVLT T5 score were associated with increased risk of ARHL. Modifying these risk factors may be beneficial in preventive and management strategies of ARHL among older persons.

The Effects of Age-Related Hearing Loss on the Brain and Cognitive Function

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a common problem for older adults, leading to communication difficulties, isolation, and cognitive decline. Recently, hearing loss has been identified as potentially the most modifiable risk factor for dementia. Listening in challenging situations, or when the auditory system is damaged, strains cortical resources, and this may change how the brain responds to cognitively demanding situations more generally. We review the effects of ARHL on brain areas involved in speech perception, from the auditory cortex, through attentional networks, to the motor system. We explore current perspectives on the possible causal relationship between hearing loss, neural reorganisation, and cognitive impairment. Through this synthesis we aim to inspire innovative research and novel interventions for alleviating hearing loss and cognitive decline.