Epidemiologic Studies of the Association of Audiometric Hearing Impairment with Outcomes in Older Adults
| Outcomes by Category | Odds/Hazard Ratio (95% CI)* | Measure | Authors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognition | |||
| Cognitive decline | 1.2 (1.1–1.5) | Increased risk of cognitive impairment | Lin et al.6 |
| Dementia | 3.0 (1.4–6.3) | Increased risk of dementia for moderate HI | Lin et al.,9 Gallacher et al.10 |
| Mental health | |||
| Depression | 3.9 (1.3–11.3) | Greater odds of depression in women with moderate HI | Li et al.,11 Mener et al.12 |
| Anxiety | 1.5 (1.3–1.7) | Greater odds of anxiety disorder | Chung et al.,17 Tambs et al.18 |
| Social isolation | 3.5 (1.9–6.4) | Greater odds in women per 10 dB of HI | Mick et al.19 |
| Physical function | |||
| Mortality | 1.5 (1.1–2.2) | Increased risk of mortality for moderate HI | Contrera et al.,5 Fisher et al.20 |
| Falls | 1.6 (1.2–1.9) | Greater odds of falls per 10 dB of HI | Lin et al.,21 Viljanen et al.22 |
| Physical activity | 1.6 (1.1–2.2) | Greater odds of lower physical activity for moderate HI | Gispen et al.,23 Loprinzi24 |
| Disability | 1.3 (1.1–1.9) | Increased risk of disability for moderate HI | Chen et al.25 |
| Gait speed | 2.0 (1.2–3.3) | Greater odds of low gait speed per 25 dB of HI | Li et al.,26 Viljanen et al.27 |
| Cost | |||
| Hospitalizations | 1.4 (1.1–1.7) | Greater odds of hospitalization | Genther et al.28 |
| Unemployment | 2.0 (1.4–2.9) | Greater odds of unemployment | Emmett and Francis,29 Lin et al.30 |
CI, confidence interval; dB, decibel; HI, hearing impairment.
↵* Compared with individuals without hearing impairment, taken from the first citation in column 4.