Wearing Hearing Aids Research Articles

EXPRESS: Memory for health information: Influences of age, hearing aids, and multisensory presentation.

We investigated how presenting online health information in different modalities can influence memory, as this may be particularly important for older adults who may need to make regular decisions about health, and could also face additional challenges such as memory deficits and sensory impairment (hearing loss). We tested whether, as predicted by some literature, older adults would disproportionately benefit from audio-visual (AV) information compared with visual-only (VO) or auditory-only (AO) information, relative to young adults. Participants were 78 young adults (aged 18-30 years old, mean=25.50 years), 78 older adults with normal hearing (aged 65-80 years old, mean=68.34 years), and 78 older adults who wear hearing aids (aged 65-79 years old, mean=70.89 years). There were no significant differences in the amount of information remembered across modalities (AV, VO, AO), no differences across participant groups, and we did not find the predicted interaction between participant group and modality. The older-adult groups performed worse than young adults on background measures of cognition, with the exception of a vocabulary test, suggesting that they may have been using strategies based on prior knowledge and experience to compensate for cognitive and/or sensory deficits. The findings indicate that cost-effective, text-based websites may be just as useful as those with edited videos for conveying health information to all age groups, and hearing aid users.

Hearing aid benefit in daily life: a qualitative ecological momentary assessment study

IntroductionUnderstanding hearing aid wearer experiences in real-world settings is important to provide responsive and individualized hearing care. This study aimed to describe real-life benefits of hearing aids (HAs), as reported by hearing aid wearers through Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) in various listening environments.MethodQualitative content analysis of 1,209 open-text responses, provided through self-initiated EMAs, was conducted. The de-identified data was collected retrospectively via a smartphone app compatible with these HAs. Only text responses reflecting positive hearing aid experiences were analyzed. The 1,209 open-text responses were categorized into 18 pre-determined sub-categories, further organized into five overarching categories: Conversational, Leisure, Device-related aspects, Lifestyle, and Other factors.ResultsAcross these categories, 48 self-generated meaning units highlighted the multifaceted benefits of HAs. In particular, participants reported significant improvements in conversational settings, specifically during phone conversations and meetings, attributed to improved sound quality and speech understanding when wearing their HAs. During leisure activities, particularly TV watching and music listening, clearer sound and ease of Bluetooth streaming contributed to experienced benefits. Lifestyle improvements were reported in occupational and social settings, as hearing aid wearers stated enhanced communication and sound awareness. Device-related factors contributing to positive wearer experiences included extended battery life and the convenience of rechargeable batteries. The most prominent sub-category, other factors, underscored overall satisfaction, comfort with the device, and improved auditory experiences across various environments.ConclusionThis study reveals the diverse benefits of HAs in improving communication, listening experiences, and quality of life across various settings, as captured through EMA. By emphasizing features like direct streaming and rechargeability, the findings highlight the importance of personalized hearing care and the potential of real-time listener feedback to inform device enhancements and support strategies, advancing more tailored and effective hearing rehabilitation.

Comparison between the international outcome inventory for hearing aids questionnaire and real-ear measurement.

The international outcome inventory for hearing aids (IOI-HA) is a questionnaire widely used to assess the subjective benefits of hearing aids. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between IOI-HA outcomes and target mismatch in real-ear measurement (REM). Thirty-four ears of 25 patients who had worn hearing aids were evaluated using the Korean version of the IOI-HA and REM after fitting for 2 months. Real-ear insertion gain (REIG) was measured at three different levels of input intensity-50, 65, and 80 dB sound pressure level (SPL)-and a frequency range of 0.25 to 6 kHz. Factors 1 and 2 and total IOI-HA scores were compared with the mismatches of REIGs and target gains of REM. Factor 1, Factor 2, and total IOI-HA scores were 14.6 ± 3.5, 11.4 ± 2.2, and 25.9 ± 5.1, respectively. The averages of the difference of REIGs and target gains in REM at 50, 65, and 80 dB SPL input levels were -3.1 ± 6.7, -2.3 ± 7.2, and -3.0 ± 8.2, respectively. Factors 1 and 2 scores of the IOI-HA showed significant correlations with target mismatch in REM at 1 kHz and 0.75 kHz frequencies, respectively. Total IOI-HA scores had significant correlations with target mismatches in REM at 0.75 and 1 kHz frequencies. IOI-HA scores correlated with target mismatch in REM at mid frequencies. The IOI-HA can be a useful screening measure for evaluating the necessity of further adjustments in hearing aids through REM at mid frequencies.

Hearing at the Mall: Multibeam Processing Technology Improves Hearing Group Conversations in a Real-World Food Court Environment.

This study aimed to evaluate conversation hearing with an adaptive beamforming hearing aid that supports adaptive tracking of multiple talkers in an ecologically valid, real-world food court environment in a busy mall. Twenty older adult experienced hearing aid wearers with sensorineural hearing loss were fitted in the lab with binaural receiver-in-the-canal style hearing aids set with two programs, each having a different beamforming strategy. The participant and two researchers then met in a moderately noisy and reverberant food court at a local mall where the participant was asked to listen to a conversation between the two researchers. Participants rated the extent of their agreement with 10 positively worded statements specific to the conversation twice, once for each program. Participants then provided program-preference ratings for seven different aspects of a conversation during which the programs were switched back and forth by the researcher, so that participants were unaware of the condition to which they were listening. Real-world subjective ratings for all domains resulted in positive values on average for both programs. Pairwise comparisons indicated that the intervention algorithm had higher absolute ratings on five of the 10 criteria including understanding, clarity, focus, listening effort, and background noise. Ratings for preference between programs indicated a significant preference for the intervention algorithm for all seven criteria. In a real-world setting, the use of hearing aids with separate processing of sounds from the front and back hemisphere provided positive subjective ratings. However, following a group conversation with multiple conversation partners, improvements in the algorithm to account for the locations of interlocutors and the natural head turning of the hearing aid wearer that occurs during a conversation by adding and controlling multiple adaptive beams in the front hemisphere significantly influenced preference for all aspects rated.

Utilization of Riasec Theory to Identify Career Personalities in Deaf Students: A Systematic Review

A career is a process that a person experiences in his life. In the end, a person must have the skills to choose a career as a determinant of life in the future. Deaf people are people who lose the ability to hear, so they inhibit the processing of information through their hearing, whether or not they are wearing hearing aids. In general, deaf children have normal and average intelligence. Effective guidance needs to be based on accurate data. Therefore, before doing therapy, it is necessary to do an assessment first, which is to assess or recognize counselling in depth in various aspects. John Holland's theory helps identify students' career personalities according to types, traits and psychological characteristics (personality). It draws on the principles of Holland's theory, which groups individuals into six personality types and corresponding work environments. This study aims to provide practical guidance for parents, educators, and career counsellors. The aim is to improve the career readiness of deaf children and create a more inclusive and supportive environment for their professional growth.

The impact of amplification on quality of life in women with Turner syndrome

BackgroundIndividuals with Turner syndrome (TS, ORPHA 881) experience barriers in communication throughout life as they navigate both early conductive, and progressive sensorineural hearing loss amid other healthcare needs. Hearing loss is self-identified as one of the largest unmet healthcare needs.PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of treatment for hearing loss on communication confidence and quality of life measures for individuals with TS.Research designWe employed a prospective cross-sectional study design that included both online survey data and audiometric data for a subset of participants.Study sampleWe recruited 179 adults with TS at the Turner Syndrome Society of the United States (TSSUS) Conference, and through a variety of regional TS organizations’ social media platforms. Audiological data was collected onsite at the conference for a subset of 67 participants; 8 of which who were followed after receiving subsequent treatment with hearing aids.Data collection and analysisThe online survey design included demographic questions, the Communication Confidence Profile (CCP), and the RAND 36-Item Health Survey 1.0. Audiometric data included tympanometry, puretone air, and puretone bone conduction thresholds. Descriptive statistics, parametric, and non-parametric tests were used to analyze both survey and audiometric data.Results74% of participants had a self-reported diagnosis of hearing loss, of which 61% were previously recommended amplification. Only 38% of participants reported using hearing aids. For those participants who wore hearing aids, Total CCP Score, ‘Confidence in Ability to Hear Under Various Conditions’, and ‘Energy/Vitality’ metrics were significantly greater than those with untreated hearing loss warranting a hearing aid. Collectively, Total CCP Score and ‘Confidence in Ability to Hear Under Various Conditions’ increased significantly when participants were fit with hearing aids.ConclusionThe results support previous data where hearing loss is a self-identified healthcare concern among women with Turner syndrome, yet many fail to receive appropriate hearing evaluation or treatment. Additionally, the use of hearing aids may improve communication confidence and quality of life in women with Turner syndrome. Furthermore, this study confirms the need for long-term audiological care and monitoring in women with Turner syndrome.

Factors that influence stress in caregivers of 5-year-old children with hearing loss wearing hearing aids or cochlear implants

ObjectiveStress levels among caregivers of children with hearing loss could influence caregiver-child interactions and ultimately, children's developmental outcomes. Given the limited understanding of stress levels among caregivers of Australian children with hearing loss, the present study aimed to examine stress in caregivers of 5-year-old children with hearing loss wearing hearing aids or cochlear implants and to identify factors associated with greater stress levels. MethodsA total of 99 caregivers of 70 hearing aid users and 29 cochlear implant users participated in the study. Caregivers' stress was measured using the 68-item Pediatric Hearing Impairment Caregiver Experience (PHICE) questionnaire that examines caregivers’ context-specific stress levels in relation to caring for a child with hearing loss. Factors contributing to stress were identified in relation to eight domains including communication, education, emotional well-being, equipment, financial, healthcare, social, and support. ResultsAcross domains, the three most common predictors of increased stress were the use of cochlear implants over hearing aids, use of sign and oral language (mixed) over oral language as the communication mode at home, and increased behavioural difficulties of the child. ConclusionOverall, reported stress levels among Australian caregivers were low. Identified factors influencing stress levels can inform service provision improvement.

The Benefit of Hearing Aids as Measured by Listening Accuracy, Subjective Listening Effort, and Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy.

There is broad consensus that listening effort is an important outcome for measuring hearing performance. However, there remains debate on the best ways to measure listening effort. This study sought to measure neural correlates of listening effort using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in experienced adult hearing aid users. The study evaluated impacts of amplification and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on cerebral blood oxygenation, with the expectation that easier listening conditions would be associated with less oxygenation in the prefrontal cortex. Thirty experienced adult hearing aid users repeated sentence-final words from low-context Revised Speech Perception in Noise Test sentences. Participants repeated words at a hard SNR (individual SNR-50) or easy SNR (individual SNR-50 + 10 dB), while wearing hearing aids fit to prescriptive targets or without wearing hearing aids. In addition to assessing listening accuracy and subjective listening effort, prefrontal blood oxygenation was measured using fNIRS. As expected, easier listening conditions (i.e., easy SNR, with hearing aids) led to better listening accuracy, lower subjective listening effort, and lower oxygenation across the entire prefrontal cortex compared to harder listening conditions. Listening accuracy and subjective listening effort were also significant predictors of oxygenation.

The Impact of Hearing Aids on Listening Effort and Listening-Related Fatigue - Investigations in a Virtual Realistic Listening Environment.

Participation in complex listening situations such as group conversations in noisy environments sets high demands on the auditory system and on cognitive processing. Reports of hearing-impaired people indicate that strenuous listening situations occurring throughout the day lead to feelings of fatigue at the end of the day. The aim of the present study was to develop a suitable test sequence to evoke and measure listening effort (LE) and listening-related fatigue (LRF), and, to evaluate the influence of hearing aid use on both dimensions in mild to moderately hearing-impaired participants. The chosen approach aims to reconstruct a representative acoustic day (Time Compressed Acoustic Day [TCAD]) by means of an eight-part hearing-test sequence with a total duration of approximately 2½ h. For this purpose, the hearing test sequence combined four different listening tasks with five different acoustic scenarios and was presented to the 20 test subjects using virtual acoustics in an open field measurement in aided and unaided conditions. Besides subjective ratings of LE and LRF, behavioral measures (response accuracy, reaction times), and an attention test (d2-R) were performed prior to and after the TCAD. Furthermore, stress hormones were evaluated by taking salivary samples. Subjective ratings of LRF increased throughout the test sequence. This effect was observed to be higher when testing unaided. In three of the eight listening tests, the aided condition led to significantly faster reaction times/response accuracies than in the unaided condition. In the d2-R test, an interaction in processing speed between time (pre- vs. post-TCAD) and provision (unaided vs. aided) was found suggesting an influence of hearing aid provision on LRF. A comparison of the averaged subjective ratings at the beginning and end of the TCAD shows a significant increase in LRF for both conditions. At the end of the TCAD, subjective fatigue was significantly lower when wearing hearing aids. The analysis of stress hormones did not reveal significant effects.

A Study on Improving Speech Perception in Noise and Cognitive-Communication Abilities in Elderly Individuals Wearing Hearing Aids through Web-Based Auditory Training

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the impact of web-based auditory training on speech perception in noise and cognitive-communication abilities in elderly individuals wearing hearing aids. The focus was on addressing communication difficulties commonly experienced by this demographic.Methods: Twenty participants, with over 6 months of hearing aid use, were divided into a training group (undergoing 8 weeks of weekly 60-minute web-based auditory training) and a non-training group. The training program included tasks like listening to sentences in noise, short and long stories, sentence arrangement, and crossword quizzes. Various assessments, such as Korean Repeat and Recall Test and Brief test Cognitive-Communication Disorders evaluations, were conducted before and after training. The Korean version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment test served as a prescreening measure for cognitive impairments.Results: Significant improvements were observed in the training group’s speech perception in noise, recall, and cognitive-communicative abilities post-training. Conversely, the non-training group showed no statistically significant differences.Conclusion: The findings suggest that web-based auditory training holds promise for enhancing cognition and communication in elderly hearing aid users. Future studies could further explore the comparative effectiveness of auditory training by categorizing participants into face-to-face, remote, and hybrid groups. This research contributes valuable insights into addressing communication challenges in the aging population through innovative training methods.

Perceptions of older and younger adults who wear hearing aids

Objective To investigate older and younger adults’ perceptions of older and younger adults who wear hearing aids. Design Participants completed two Implicit Association Tests: One with images of older adults (OA-IAT) and one with images of younger adults (YA-IAT), either wearing or not wearing hearing aids. Participants also rated age, attractiveness, and intelligence of younger and older adults pictured with or without a hearing aid. Study sample Thirty older adults (M age = 70 years, SD = 4.38) and 30 younger adults (M age = 23 years, SD = 3.01) who reported not having hearing aids or a diagnosed hearing impairment. Results For both IATs, older and younger participants responded faster and more accurately when images of individuals wearing hearing aids were paired with negative words in comparison to positive words. Photo ratings did not vary in relation to the presence or absence of hearing aids for either age group. Conclusion Although the photo rating tasks indicate neutral explicit attitudes towards individuals who wear hearing aids, our interpretation of the IAT results indicates that younger and older adults may hold negative implicit attitudes towards both older and younger hearing aid users.

The Effects of Signal to Noise Ratio, T60 , Wide-Dynamic Range Compression Speed, and Digital Noise Reduction in a Virtual Restaurant Setting.

Hearing aid processing in realistic listening environments is difficult to study effectively. Often the environment is unpredictable or unknown, such as in wearable aid trials with subjective report by the wearer. Some laboratory experiments create listening environments to exert tight experimental control, but those environments are often limited by physical space, a small number of sound sources, or room absorptive properties. Simulation techniques bridge this gap by providing greater experimental control over listening environments, effectively bringing aspects of the real-world into the laboratory. This project used simulation to study the effects of wide-dynamic range compression (WDRC) and digital noise reduction (DNR) on speech intelligibility in a reverberant environment with six spatialized competing talkers. The primary objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of WDRC and DNR in a complex listening environment using virtual auditory space techniques. Participants of greatest interest were listeners with hearing impairment. A group of listeners with clinically normal hearing was included to assess the effects of the simulation absent the complex effects of hearing loss. Virtual auditory space techniques were used to simulate a small restaurant listening environment with two different reverberation times (0.8 and 1.8 sec) in a range of signal to noise ratios (SNRs) (-8.5 to 11.5 dB SNR). Six spatialized competing talkers were included to further enhance realism. A hearing aid simulation was used to examine the degree to which speech intelligibility was affected by slow and fast WDRC in conjunction with the presence or absence of DNR. The WDRC and DNR settings were chosen to be reasonable estimates of hearing aids currently available to consumers. A WDRC × DNR × Hearing Status interaction was observed, such that DNR was beneficial for speech intelligibility when combined with fast WDRC speeds, but DNR was detrimental to speech intelligibility when WDRC speeds were slow. The pattern of the WDRC × DNR interaction was observed for both listener groups. Significant main effects of reverberation time and SNR were observed, indicating better performance with lower reverberation times and more positive SNR. DNR reduced low-amplitude noise before WDRC-amplified the low-intensity portions of the signal, negating one potential downside of fast WDRC and leading to an improvement in speech intelligibility in this simulation. These data suggest that, in some real-world environments that include both reverberation and noise, older listeners with hearing impairment may find speech to be more intelligible if DNR is activated when the hearing aid has fast compression time constants. Additional research is needed to determine the appropriate DNR strength and to confirm results in wearable hearing aids and a wider range of listening environments.

Attitudes towards hearing difficulties, health-seeking behaviour, and hearing aid use among older adults in Thailand.

This qualitative study explores older adults' attitudes towards hearing difficulties, health-seeking behaviour and hearing aid use in Samutprakarn, Thailand. Three focus groups (n=25), with adults aged 60-88 years, were conducted within a residential complex for older adults. Qualitative data analysis, employing a phenomenological approach was completed. Four themes are presented: (1) Perception of hearing difficulties, (2) Experience of receiving care, (3) Attitudes towards wearing hearing aids, and (4) Raising awareness of hearing difficulties in older adults. Findings indicate that Thai older adults may not be aware or accepting of their hearing difficulties, due to the stigma associated hearing loss, older age, and disability. The consequential impact of these unacknowledged issues manifest in communication challenges and the adoption of avoidance behaviours across diverse situational contexts. This study enhances our understanding of how Thai older adults perceive hearing problems and ear care. Findings underscore the potential pivotal role of familial and social networks in mitigating barriers associated with hearing difficulties among older adults in Thailand. These insights can raise awareness and inform effective management for older adults and their families. Additionally, the findings could guide healthcare providers, researchers, and policy makers, fostering improved care for this demographic.

Alpha-Band Dynamics of Hearing Aid Wearers Performing the Repeat-Recall Test (RRT).

This study measured electroencephalographic activity in the alpha band, often associated with task difficulty, to physiologically validate self-reported effort ratings from older hearing-impaired listeners performing the Repeat-Recall Test (RRT)-an integrative multipart assessment of speech-in-noise performance, context use, and auditory working memory. Following a single-blind within-subjects design, 16 older listeners (mean age = 71 years, SD = 13, 9 female) with a moderate-to-severe degree of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss performed the RRT while wearing hearing aids at four fixed signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of -5, 0, 5, and 10 dB. Performance and subjective ratings of listening effort were assessed for complementary versions of the RRT materials with high/low availability of semantic context. Listeners were also tested with a version of the RRT that omitted the memory (i.e., recall) component. As expected, results showed alpha power to decrease significantly with increasing SNR from 0 through 10 dB. When tested with high context sentences, alpha was significantly higher in conditions where listeners had to recall the sentence materials compared to conditions where the recall requirement was omitted. When tested with low context sentences, alpha power was relatively high irrespective of the memory component. Within-subjects, alpha power was related to listening effort ratings collected across the different RRT conditions. Overall, these results suggest that the multipart demands of the RRT modulate both neural and behavioral measures of listening effort in directions consistent with the expected/designed difficulty of the RRT conditions.

Assessing Speech Audibility via Syllabic-Rate Neural Responses in Adults and Children With and Without Hearing Loss.

An objective method for assessing speech audibility is essential to evaluate hearing aid benefit in children who are unable to participate in hearing tests. With consonant-vowel syllables, brainstem-dominant responses elicited at the voice fundamental frequency have proven successful for assessing audibility. This study aimed to harness the neural activity elicited by the slow envelope of the same repetitive consonant-vowel syllables to assess audibility. In adults and children with normal hearing and children with hearing loss wearing hearing aids, neural activity elicited by the stimulus /su∫i/ or /sa∫i/ presented at 55-75 dB SPL was analyzed using the temporal response function approach. No-stimulus runs or very low stimulus level (15 dB SPL) were used to simulate inaudible conditions in adults and children with normal hearing. Both groups of children demonstrated higher response amplitudes relative to adults. Detectability (sensitivity; true positive rate) ranged between 80.1 and 100%, and did not vary by group or stimulus level but varied by stimulus, with /sa∫i/ achieving 100% detectability at 65 dB SPL. The average minimum time needed to detect a response ranged between 3.7 and 6.4 min across stimuli and listener groups, with the shortest times recorded for stimulus /sa∫i/ and in children with hearing loss. Specificity was >94.9%. Responses to the slow envelope of non-meaningful consonant-vowel syllables can be used to ascertain audible vs. inaudible speech with sufficient accuracy within clinically feasible test times. Such responses can increase the clinical usefulness of existing objective approaches to evaluate hearing aid benefit.

Prevention of Cognitive Impairment Through Audiocognitive Rehabilitation: Results of the NeuRea Method

Background: The aging of the world´s population have led to an increase in the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases. Aims: The study aims to analyze the prevention of cognitive impairment through the application of audiocognitive rehabilitation (NeuRea Method) on people with hearing impairment. Methods: A total of 409 patients met the inclusion criteria. They were divided into an Experimental (EG) and a Control Group (CG). The EG underwent an audiological and speech therapy program. These programs included neuroadaptation adjustment of hearing aids and rehabilitation of impaired auditory and cognitive functions. Patients without cognitive alterations in EG also received cognitive training. The CG did not receive any interventions. Both groups were cognitively assessed at the beginning and at the end of the study. Results: Results showed that 85.16% of the EG obtained better results in the cognitive test, and no one contained worse results, compared to a 3% improvement in CG, 4% obtained worse results. 81% of the EG patients without cognitive impairment also improved. Conclusion: The NeuRea method can be used as an additional treatment for wearing hearing aids to improve the language comprehension capacity of people with hearing loss, reduce their cognitive load, and improve their cognition whether already altered or not.

To tell or not to tell? Exploring the social process of stigma for adults with hearing loss and their families: introduction to the special issue

Objective Stigma has long been implicated as a reason why adults with acquired hearing loss are slow to seek help and for sub-optimal uptake of hearing devices. However, the field has not developed a comprehensive understanding of why stigma occurs, nor has it related this comprehensive knowledge to a theoretical framework. Design This special issue presents results from a two-phase, multi-method study to systematically investigate how stigma is experienced by adults with hearing loss and their families, how they manage it in everyday life, and how these experiences relate to the decision to wear hearing aids. Study Sample Phase 1 of the study involved 20 dyads of adults with hearing loss and their family members. Phase 2 involved 331 adults with hearing loss and 313 family members. Results Results of the study are presented in each of the subsequent papers that are part of this special issue. Results are mapped onto the Major and O’Brien model of stigma-induced identity threat in each paper. Conclusions This paper provides an introduction to the Special Issue and describes the methods for the overall study that is the focus of the papers within the issue.

UNDERSTANDING HEARING LOSS AMONG COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS FROM AN ENGAGING WITH AGING PERSPECTIVE

Abstract Engaging with Aging is an emerging framework proposed by Carnevali which provides a new lens to understand an active, conscious daily living process of coping with age-related changes (ARCs) taken on by older adults. The study aims were to 1) describe the challenges related to hearing loss experienced by community-dwelling older adults, especially during COVID-19; 2) identify the strategies and resources used by older adults to accommodate the daily living challenges caused by hearing loss. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 29 participants aged 64 to 98 online due to COVID-19 restrictions. We used a virtual card sort to assist with data gathering. Hearing loss was mentioned by 18 participants (62%) and their corresponding adaptations were discussed. We found that older adults linked their adaptations to hearing loss based on their changing hearing capacities and needs. Commonly used adaptations included lip reading, volume adjustment, and wearing hearing aids. The challenges caused by COVID-19 in implementing the adaptations were also discussed (e.g., increased difficulty in understanding others due to mask-wearing). While most participants reported making adaptations to hearing loss, some mentioned that hearing loss was “no biggie” to them so no adaptations were needed. This study substantiates the EWA framework by showing the commonality among older adults in linking hearing loss, as one of the common ARCs, with corresponding adaptations. Implications for clinicians and researchers include using EWA to help older adults identify personalized solutions that fit their hearing capacity.

Comparative Analysis of Intellectual Quotient in Developmental Population with Severe Hearing Loss: Hearing Aids vs. Cochlear Implant Users.

The development of language, memory and intellectual functions is linked to normal hearing and correct sounds interpretation. Hearing loss (HL), especially in its severe form, negatively affects the development of these functions. This prospective study aimed at comparing the Intelligent Quotients (IQ) of children with cochlear implants (CI) with the ones of people wearing hearing aids (HA) after one year of hearing rehabilitation. 21 subjects with severe/profound bilateral hearing loss (deafness) were included in this study. Eleven children with congenital profound HL underwent CI and ten children with moderate to severe HL (congenital and acquired) were rehabilitated by HA. Children's IQs were assessed at enrolment (T0) and 12 months after hearing aids/CI use plus speech therapy. Statistical analyses were performed to analyze the data within and between groups. Comparison of IQs showed no statistically significant differences between CI and HA none at T0 and T1. The subtests showed lower scores in verbal comprehension and process speed index in patients treated with HA when compared to CI. This study showed that auditory rehabilitation can support the normal development of cognitive function in children between six and eight years of age. The use of the correct hearing aids based on the patient's hearing thresholds is important to maximize the rehabilitation outcomes. Due to the small sample size, although stratified for age, our results must be considered preliminary and further analyses on larger samples are needed to confirm our data.

Temporal associations between treated and untreated hearing loss and mild behavioral impairment in older adults without dementia

AbstractBackgroundHearing loss and mild behavioral impairment (MBI) are non‐cognitive markers of dementia that are cross‐sectionally linked to one another. Longitudinal approaches are necessary to further understand mechanisms underlying their association, which may inform interventions for hearing loss and MBI. This study investigated the relationship between hearing loss, with or without hearing aids (HAs), and MBI in dementia‐free older adults both cross‐sectionally and longitudinally.MethodData were analyzed from dementia‐free National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center participants, aged ≥50, collected between 2005‐2022. Three self‐report questions were used to generate a three‐level categorical hearing status variable: No‐HL, Untreated‐HL (not wearing hearing aids), and Treated‐HL (regularly wearing hearing aids). MBI status was derived from the informant‐rated Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire using a published algorithm. At baseline (n = 7992), age‐, sex‐, education‐, and cognitive status‐adjusted logistic regression was used to examine the association between hearing status and presence of global and domain‐specific MBI. Cox proportional hazards models examined the effect of: 1) hearing status as exposure on rate of incident MBI (n = 6639); and 2) MBI status as exposure on rate of incident hearing loss (n = 7343).ResultCross‐sectionally, participants with Untreated‐HL (not wearing hearing aids) were more likely to exhibit global MBI (OR = 1.58) and individual MBI domains of social inappropriateness (OR = 2.08), affective dysregulation (OR = 1.64), and impulse dyscontrol (OR = 1.68), compared to those with No‐HL (Figure 1). Treated‐HL (regularly wearing hearing aids) did not differ from No‐HL for presence of global‐ or domain‐specific MBI. Longitudinally, older adults with Treated‐HL developed MBI at higher rates than No‐HL (HR = 1.42), and older adults with MBI at baseline developed Treated‐HL at higher rates than those without MBI (HR = 1.34) [Table 1].ConclusionOur cross‐sectional results indicate that HA use in dementia‐free hearing‐impaired older adults is associated with lower likelihood of having MBI. However, hearing loss requiring hearing aids was associated with incident MBI and vice versa. This bidirectional relationship may indicate a positive feedback loop between hearing loss and MBI, with Treated‐HL and MBI reflecting greater hearing loss severity and disease burden, increasing the rate of development of the complementary marker and of dementia.