Association of Hearing Loss with Physical, Social, and Mental Activity Engagement

Adele Goman, Tess Gao, Joshua Betz, Nicholas S. Reed, Jennifer A. Deal, Frank R. Lin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This article aims to evaluate a hearing loss intervention versus an aging education intervention on activity engagement in the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders pilot (ACHIEVE-P). Forty adults (70-84 years) with hearing loss recruited from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study and de novo participated. Participants were randomized 1:1 to a best practices hearing intervention or a successful aging intervention. Hearing was measured with pure-tone audiometry. The Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors questionnaire measured self-reported time engaging in activities at baseline and 6-month follow-up. At baseline, greater hearing loss was associated with reduced time per week on mental activities (-3.0 hours per 10 dB of hearing loss, 95% confidence interval: -5.8, -0.2). Mental activity engagement increased (mean: +1.3 hours, SD = 6.6) for the hearing intervention group but decreased (mean: -1.1 hours, SD = 4.8) for the aging education group (Cohen's d: 0.41). Hearing loss may be associated with reduced engagement in mental activities. Whether hearing loss treatment impacts activity will be studied in the full-scale ACHIEVE trial.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)59-65
Number of pages7
JournalSeminars in Hearing
Volume42
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1 2021

Keywords

  • activity engagement
  • hearing loss
  • mental
  • physical
  • social

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Speech and Hearing

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Association of Hearing Loss with Physical, Social, and Mental Activity Engagement'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this