Consistent hearing aid use is associated with lower fall prevalence and risk in older adults with hearing loss.
falls
hearing aids
hearing impairment
hearing loss
older adults
Journal
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
ISSN: 1532-5415
Titre abrégé: J Am Geriatr Soc
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 7503062
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
10 2023
10 2023
Historique:
revised:
21
04
2023
received:
23
08
2022
accepted:
16
05
2023
pmc-release:
01
10
2024
medline:
23
10
2023
pubmed:
14
6
2023
entrez:
14
6
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Falls and their sequelae cost more than $50 billion every year. Older adults with hearing loss are at 2.4 times greater risk of falls than their normal hearing peers. Current research is inconclusive about whether hearing aids can offset this increased fall risk, and no previous studies considered if outcomes differed based on the consistency of hearing aid use. Individuals 60 years and older with bilateral hearing loss completed a survey consisting of the Fall Risk Questionnaire (FRQ) and questions about hearing loss history, hearing aid use, and other common fall risk factors. In this cross-sectional study, fall prevalence, as well as fall risk (based on FRQ score), was compared between hearing aid users and non-users. A separate group of consistent hearing-aid users (at least 4 h daily use for more than 1 year) was also compared with inconsistent/non-users. Responses from 299 surveys were analyzed. Bivariate analysis found 50% reduced odds of experiencing a fall for hearing aid users compared with non-users (OR = 0.50 [95% CI: 0.29-0.85], p = 0.01). After adjusting for age, sex, hearing loss severity, and medication usage, those who reported any hearing aid use still had lower odds of falls (OR = 0.48 [95% CI: 0.26-0.90], p = 0.02) and lower odds of being at risk for falls (OR = 0.36 [95% CI: 0.19-0.66] p < 0.001) than non-users. Results for consistent hearing aid users demonstrate an even stronger association of lowered odds of falling (OR = 0.35 [95% CI: 0.19-0.67], p < 0.001) and lower odds of being at risk for falls (OR = 0.32 [95% CI: 0.12-0.59], p < 0.001), suggesting a potential dose-response relationship. These findings suggest that use of hearing aids-especially consistent hearing aid use-is associated with lower odds of experiencing a fall or being classified as at risk for falls in older individuals with hearing loss.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Falls and their sequelae cost more than $50 billion every year. Older adults with hearing loss are at 2.4 times greater risk of falls than their normal hearing peers. Current research is inconclusive about whether hearing aids can offset this increased fall risk, and no previous studies considered if outcomes differed based on the consistency of hearing aid use.
METHODS
Individuals 60 years and older with bilateral hearing loss completed a survey consisting of the Fall Risk Questionnaire (FRQ) and questions about hearing loss history, hearing aid use, and other common fall risk factors. In this cross-sectional study, fall prevalence, as well as fall risk (based on FRQ score), was compared between hearing aid users and non-users. A separate group of consistent hearing-aid users (at least 4 h daily use for more than 1 year) was also compared with inconsistent/non-users.
RESULTS
Responses from 299 surveys were analyzed. Bivariate analysis found 50% reduced odds of experiencing a fall for hearing aid users compared with non-users (OR = 0.50 [95% CI: 0.29-0.85], p = 0.01). After adjusting for age, sex, hearing loss severity, and medication usage, those who reported any hearing aid use still had lower odds of falls (OR = 0.48 [95% CI: 0.26-0.90], p = 0.02) and lower odds of being at risk for falls (OR = 0.36 [95% CI: 0.19-0.66] p < 0.001) than non-users. Results for consistent hearing aid users demonstrate an even stronger association of lowered odds of falling (OR = 0.35 [95% CI: 0.19-0.67], p < 0.001) and lower odds of being at risk for falls (OR = 0.32 [95% CI: 0.12-0.59], p < 0.001), suggesting a potential dose-response relationship.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that use of hearing aids-especially consistent hearing aid use-is associated with lower odds of experiencing a fall or being classified as at risk for falls in older individuals with hearing loss.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37314100
doi: 10.1111/jgs.18461
pmc: PMC10592632
mid: NIHMS1904767
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
3163-3171Subventions
Organisme : NCATS NIH HHS
ID : UL1 TR002535
Pays : United States
Informations de copyright
© 2023 The American Geriatrics Society.
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