Hearing loss in adults is under treated despite evidence that hearing aid technology can significantly lessen depression and anxiety and improve cognitive functioning, according to a presentation at APA, held in August in Toronto.
In a National Council on Aging study of 2304 people with hearing loss, those who didn’t wear hearing aids were 50% more likely to demonstrate sadness or depression. Additionally, hearing aid users were much more likely to participate in social activities regularly.
People wait an average of six years from the first signs of hearing loss before getting treatment, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, and adults with hearing loss between the ages of 20 and 69 are half as likely as adults 70 or older to use hearing aids. Besides denial, vanity and less awareness of how much they are missing are some reasons for the delay, he added.
David Myers, PhD, Hope College, Holland, Michigan, an invited lecturer at APA, lives with hearing loss. “Anger, frustration, depression and anxiety are all common among people who find themselves hard of hearing,” Dr. Myers said. “Getting people to use the latest in hearing aid technology can help them regain control of their life and achieve emotional stability and even better cognitive functioning.”
He cited a study published in the Archives of Neurology that found hearing loss could also be a risk factor for dementia. Scientists who conducted the study said years of sensory loss leaves people more susceptible to dementia. Additionally, the social isolation common among the hard of hearing is another known risk factor for dementia and other cognitive disorders, he said.
As presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association 8/7/2015