Hearing loss is a common condition, affecting an estimated 48 million Americans. However, only about one in five people who could benefit from treatment for their hearing loss actually wears hearing aids. Hearing aids have many benefits, like improving your communication and, in turn, your relationships with loved ones. But did you know hearing aids can also lower your chance of depression, dementia and falls? One study examines this relationship.
About the Study
A study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in 2019 and led by Dr. Elham Mahmoudi, set out to uncover the association between hearing aids and health benefits.
From 2008 to 2016, researchers examined data from 114,862 adults with hearing loss who were ages 66 and older. They looked at health information from one year before the patients’ hearing loss diagnosis to three years after, specifically paying attention to a new diagnosis of depression, anxiety, dementia or fall-related injuries.
Study Results
The researchers found that wearing a hearing aid reduced the risk of being diagnosed with:
- Depression and anxiety by 11%.
- Dementia by 18%.
- Fall-related injuries by 13%.
They also noted how many of the study participants actually wore their hearing aids. Of those who had a clinical diagnosis of hearing loss, only 12% wore hearing aids regularly. Researchers also noted the demographic information, which is summarized below:
- 3% of women with hearing loss wore hearing aids compared to 13.3% of men.
- 5% Latinx people with hearing loss wore hearing aids compared to 9.8% of African Americans and 13.3% of white participants.
Dr. Mahmoudi and the other researchers hope this study will show people who could benefit from hearing aids about all the positives they offer. There are so many ways hearing aids can change your life; talk to your audiologist today about getting fitted for a pair of state-of-the-art devices.
To prevent or delay the onset of depression, anxiety or dementia, or to simply feel safer and steadier while walking or biking at Wonders’ Way, schedule an appointment with the hearing experts at The Hearing & Balance Center today.