TY - JOUR

T1 - Trajectories of older adults' hearing difficulties

T2 - examining the influence of health behaviors and social activity over 10 years

AU - Heine, Chyrisse

AU - Browning, Colette

AU - Cowlishaw, Sean

AU - Kendig, Hal

PY - 2013/10

Y1 - 2013/10

N2 - AIM: The aims of the present study were to describe the trajectories of self-reported hearing difficulties over time, and evaluate the impacts of age, sex, lifestyle factors and social activity, in explaining individual differences in patterns of change over time. METHODS: As part of the Melbourne Longitudinal Studies on Healthy Aging (MELSHA) Program, the hearing status of 947 adults aged 65 years and older, across five measurement periods (over 10 years), were analyzed using Latent Growth Curve Modeling analysis. A multidimensional survey was also administered, which included questions relating to sociodemographic variables, self-reported hearing difficulties, nutrition, smoking habits and level of social activity. RESULTS: Although there was a general increase in hearing difficulties over time, older age, poor nutrition, a lifetime of smoking and increased social activity predicted more rapid increases in hearing difficulty over time. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the importance of lifestyle factors in reducing the rate of perceived hearing difficulties in older people, and provide further evidence of the links between lifestyle and sensory loss in older people. Poor nutrition and smoking are areas that both clinicians and public health professionals should address in their work with older people.

AB - AIM: The aims of the present study were to describe the trajectories of self-reported hearing difficulties over time, and evaluate the impacts of age, sex, lifestyle factors and social activity, in explaining individual differences in patterns of change over time. METHODS: As part of the Melbourne Longitudinal Studies on Healthy Aging (MELSHA) Program, the hearing status of 947 adults aged 65 years and older, across five measurement periods (over 10 years), were analyzed using Latent Growth Curve Modeling analysis. A multidimensional survey was also administered, which included questions relating to sociodemographic variables, self-reported hearing difficulties, nutrition, smoking habits and level of social activity. RESULTS: Although there was a general increase in hearing difficulties over time, older age, poor nutrition, a lifetime of smoking and increased social activity predicted more rapid increases in hearing difficulty over time. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the importance of lifestyle factors in reducing the rate of perceived hearing difficulties in older people, and provide further evidence of the links between lifestyle and sensory loss in older people. Poor nutrition and smoking are areas that both clinicians and public health professionals should address in their work with older people.

KW - hearing difficulty

KW - latent growth curve modeling

KW - lifestyle factors

KW - longitudinal

KW - social activity

U2 - 10.1111/ggi.12030

DO - 10.1111/ggi.12030

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23311873

VL - 13

SP - 911

EP - 918

JO - Geriatrics and Gerontology International

JF - Geriatrics and Gerontology International

SN - 1447-0594

IS - 4

ER -