Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2018
Department
Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education
Abstract
Objectives: To examine the relationship between hearing deterioration and several health-related outcomes among home care clients in Ontario. Design: Longitudinal analysis was completed for clients with at least two comprehensive assessments. Hearing status, based on a single item, ranged from zero (no impairment) to three (highly impaired). Hearing deterioration was defined as at least a 1-point decline between subsequent assessments. Results: Seven percent experienced a 1-point deterioration in hearing and roughly 1% had a 2/3-point decline. After adjusting for other covariates, increasing age (odds ratio = 1.94; 95% confidence intervals [CIs] = [1.45, 2.61]) and a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (1.37; CI = [1.04, 1.80]) and other dementias (1.32; CI = [1.07, 1.63]) increased the risk of a 2/3-point deterioration. Conclusion: These findings can assist home care professionals and policy makers in creating and refining interventions to meet the needs of older adults with hearing difficulties.
Recommended Citation
Williams N, Guthrie DM, Davidson JGS, Fisher K, Griffith LE. A deterioration in hearing is associated with functional and cognitive impairments, difficulty with communication, and greater health instability. Journal of Applied Gerontology 2018; 1: 1-28. doi: 10.1177/0733464818755312.
Comments
This is the Accepted Version of an article published in Journal of Applied Gerontology 2018; 1: 1-28. doi: 10.1177/0733464818755312.