Long-term subjective loneliness in adults after hearing loss treatment.
Int J Audiol
; 58(8): 464-467, 2019 08.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30929531
ABSTRACT
Objective:
While hearing loss is associated with loneliness, the long term impact of hearing loss interventions remains unknown. We investigated levels of loneliness in adults at baseline, 6-months, 1-year and 5-years after receiving a hearing aid (HA) or cochlear implant (CI).Design:
In this 5-year follow-up to the Studying Multiple Outcomes after Aural Rehabilitative Treatment study, participants completed the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale at baseline, 6-months, 1-year, and 5-year time points. Generalized estimating equations modeled the population average UCLA score over time. Study Sample Analytic cohort of 115 participants (74% of original 156) 50 years or older who received a HA or CI at baseline and completed at least one follow up visit.Results:
Loneliness scores were not different at 5 years versus baseline for HA users. CI users showed significantly reduced loneliness at 6-months and 1-year from baseline and with no significant difference at 5 years.Conclusion:
Over 5 years, we observed no increase in loneliness from baseline in a cohort of adults receiving HAs and CIs. Short-term reduction in loneliness in CI users was demonstrated. Future randomized trials are needed to definitively assess the impact of treated versus untreated hearing loss on loneliness.Key words
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Correction of Hearing Impairment
/
Auditory Perception
/
Cochlear Implants
/
Persons With Hearing Impairments
/
Hearing Aids
/
Hearing Loss
/
Loneliness
Type of study:
Clinical_trials
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Int J Audiol
Journal subject:
AUDIOLOGIA
Year:
2019
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States