부산대학교 도서관

Background and Objectives: To determine the impact of hearing impairment (HI) on health indicators in a multiethnic Singaporean population of older adults. Research Design and Methods: In this cross-sectional, population-based study, pure-tone averages of air-conduction thresholds at 500 Hz, 1,000 Hz, 2,000 Hz, and 4,000 Hz were calculated for each ear. Eight categories of HI were defined ranging from: 1: No HI to 8: Bilateral severe HI. Health indicators included hearing-related quality of life (H-QoL), depressive symptoms, frailty, gait speed, instrumental activities of daily living, sarcopenia, and cognitive impairment. Multivariable regression models determined the independent associations between HI and outcomes. Results: A total of 2,503 older adults (mean age [+ or -] SD 73.4 [+ or -] 8.4; 55.2% female participants) were enrolled. Of these, 289 (11.6%), 259 (10.4%), 798 (31.9%), 303 (12.1%), 515 (20.6%), 52 (2.1%), 155 (6.2%), and 115 (4.6%) had hearing levels in Cats 1 to 8, respectively; and 20 (0.8%) used a hearing aid. Compared to those with no HI, participants with unilateral mild HI (Cat 2) had a 107% reduction in H-QoL ([beta]: 0.63; CI: 0.18, 1.09, p = .006), increasing to a 2,816% reduction ([beta]: 16.78; CI: 13.25, 20.31, p < .001) in those with bilateral severe HI-Cat 8 (p-trend < .001). Those with Cat 8 also had lower gait speed and we observed a nonsignificant increase in odds of frailty as HI worsened. Discussion and Implications: H-QoL is affected across the spectrum of severity and laterality of HI. Interventions to alleviate the effects of HI and provision of QoL support are warranted. Other health indicators were only affected in late stages, suggesting that slowing disease progression is crucial in clinical management. Translational Significance: Studies exploring the impact of hearing impairment (HI) severity and laterality on health indicators, especially in Asia, are lacking. In our population-based study, we found a substantial impact on hearing-related quality of life (QoL) across the spectrum of HI, particularly bilateral severe HI. We also found adverse effects on gait speed in those with bilateral severe HI, and a trend for increased odds of frailty as HI worsened. Interventions to alleviate the effects of HI and provision of QoL support are warranted. As other health indicators were only affected in late stages, slowing disease progression is crucial in clinical management. Keywords: Frailty, Functioning, Hearing impairment, Population-based, Quality of life
Background and Objectives Hearing impairment (HI) is a chronic age-related condition that affects one in five people globally (GBD 2019 Hearing Loss Collaborators, 2021), with >100 million people estimated to [...]