Mental Health of the People with Hearing Impairment in Korea: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

BackgroundThe prevalence of hearing impairment is increasing and an association between hearing impairment and mental health has been reported. Our study aimed to determine the association between hearing impairment and mental health in Korea.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study of data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010–2013, with a sample size of 18,563 individuals (6,395 with hearing impairment and 12,168 without hearing impairment), aged ≥20 years.ResultsThe female group with hearing impairment tended to have a higher rate of stress (odds ratio [OR], 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11 to 1.56). The association between hearing impairment and depressive symptoms was higher in elderly males (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.10 to 2.32), while the association of hearing impairment with suicide ideation was higher in elderly females (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.75).ConclusionElderly individuals with hearing impairment are easily susceptible to poor mental health status. Early targeted intervention to address mental health problems is recommended for people with hearing impairment.

Age and sex differences in hearing loss association with depressive symptoms: analyses of NHANES 2011–2012

“…Data from the Blue Mountains Eye Study, also showed sex differences in the association between hearing loss and depression, with mild SFHL (>25–40 dB hearing loss) positively associated with depressive symptoms in women (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.15–3.31), but not in men (Gopinath et al , 2009). In contrast, Shin and Hwang (2017), using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNANES) 2010–2013 on 18 563 participants aged ⩾20 years, reported a positive association between hearing loss (speech frequency pure tone average ⩾25 dB) and depression only in males aged ⩾60 years. Harada et al (2008) also found that hearing loss (defined as failing to hear a 30 dB signal at 1 kHz bilaterally) was positively associated with depression in Japanese males aged ⩾65 years, but not in females.…”

Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Older Adults With Auditory, Vision, and Dual Sensory Impairment

“…The prevalence of hearing loss doubles with every decade of life and, by the age of 70, two thirds of older adults are hearing impaired (Lin, Niparko, & Ferrucci, 2011). Hearing impairment has been associated with increased loneliness (Sung, Li, Blake, Betz, & Lin, 2016), depression (Garnefski & Kraaij, 2012; Huang, Dong, Lu, Yue, & Liu, 2010; C.-M. Li et al, 2014; Monzani, Galeazzi, Genovese, Marrara, & Martini, 2008; Shin & Hwang, 2017), anxiety (Garnefski & Kraaij, 2012; Monzani et al, 2008), mental distress (Kobayashi, Tamiya, Moriyama, & Nishi, 2015; Sano, Okamoto, Ohhashi, Iwasaki, & Ogawa, 2013), increased suicide risk (Kim, Kwak, & Kim, 2015; Shin & Hwang, 2017), reduced quality of life (Dalton et al, 2003; Sano et al, 2013), physical disability (Chen, Genther, Betz, & Lin, 2014), incident dementia (Golub et al, 2017; Lin et al, 2011), increased mortality (Genther et al, 2015), and less engagement in relationships and social activities (Sano et al, 2013).…”

Impact of hearing impairment on psychological distress and subjective well-being in older adults

“… 21 In a study aimed to investigate the association among hearing impairment and mental health in older adults, it was suggested that hearing loss was highly correlated to depressive symptoms in male population than females. 22 Significantly higher association among hearing impairment and depression was observed in men at their 40s to 50s as compared to those in their 60s. But no significant gender differences were found in both age groups in case of depression related to hearing impairment.…”