Association of cognitive status, anxiety and depression with hearing loss in the elderly

Objective: Hearing loss is an important problem that is common among older people. Dementia can be defined as a group of disorders that adversely affect memory, thinking function and the ability to perform daily activities. Hearing loss leads to poor quality of life due to loneliness, social isolation, anxiety and susceptibility to depression. Hearing aids are the primary tool used in the management of hearing loss. In this study, we aimed to compare participants with and without hearing loss in terms of cognitive status, depression and anxiety, and to assess the effect of hearing aid use on this process. Method: Between June 2023 and June 2024, 608 patients over the age of 50 who registered at the psychiatric outpatient clinic of Hatay Training and Research Hospital were included in the study. Participants were enrolled if they presented to the Psychiatry outpatient clinic during the selected time interval, were over 50 years of age and agreed to participate in the study. Participants' demographic information, educational status, social information, hearing aid use, minimental score, Beck anxiety score, and geriatric depression score were recorded. Results: When comparing patients with and without hearing loss, statistically significant differences were observed on the Minimental Test, Beck Anxiety Score and Geriatric Depression Score. Conclusion: In this study, a statistically significant relationship was found between hearing loss and cognitive status, depression and anxiety, and it was suggested that the use of hearing aids may be beneficial in terms of preventing the development or slowing the progression of these pathologies.