Severe hearing impairment and risk of depression: A national cohort study

Abstract

ObjectiveHearing impairment is suggested to be associated with depression in the elderly. The present study evaluated the risk of depression after hearing impairment in all age groups matched by age, sex, income, and region of residence.MethodsThe Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service—National Patient Samples were collected for a period from 2002 to 2013. Hearing impairment was defined as a hearing threshold ≥ 60 dB in both ears or as ≥ 80 dB in one ear and ≥ 40 dB in one ear. Hearing-impaired participants performed a pure tone audiometry test 3 times and an auditory brainstem response threshold test once. The 6,136 hearing-impaired participants were matched 1:4 with 24,544 controls with no reported hearing impairment for age, sex, income, and region of residence. Depression was investigated based on the International Classification of Disease-10 codes F31 (bipolar affective disorder) through F39 (unspecified mood disorder) by a psychiatrist from 2002 through 2013. The crude (simple) and adjusted (age, sex, income, region of residence, dementia, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia) hazard ratio (HR) of hearing impairment on depression were analyzed using Cox-proportional hazard model.ResultsThe rate of depression was significantly higher in the severe hearing-impaired group than in the control group (7.9% vs. 5.7%, P < 0.001). Severe hearing impairment increased the risk of depression (adjusted HR = 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.24–1.52, P < 0.001). In a subgroup analysis, young (0–29 years old), middle-aged (30–59 years old), and old (≥ 60 years old) severe hearing-impaired groups showed significantly increased risk of depression compared to controls with no reported hearing impairment. In accordance with income level, severe hearing impairment elevated depression in the low and high income groups, but not in the middle income group.ConclusionSevere hearing impairment increased the risk of depression independently of age, sex, region, past medical histories, and income (in low and high income persons but not in middle income persons).

Longitudinal Pure‐Tone Threshold Changes in the Same Subjects: Analysis of Factors Affecting Hearing

“…Although depression does not have a direct effect on hearing, we should not overlook it because severe HL increases the risk of depression. 22,23 To this date, there has been no study indicating an association between fatty liver and hearing, and this was the same with our study. On the other hand, a case-control study suggested that patients with osteoporosis had a higher incidence of sensorineural HL, although there was a statistically significant age difference between the osteoporosis and control groups in the study.…”

“…In 112 subjects with depressive disorder, no difference in threshold changes was observed. Although depression does not have a direct effect on hearing, we should not overlook it because severe HL increases the risk of depression . To this date, there has been no study indicating an association between fatty liver and hearing, and this was the same with our study.…”

Gastroesophageal reflux disease increases the risk of chronic rhinosinusitis: a nested case‐control study using a national sample cohort

“…The strength of this study is the use of a large, representative, nationwide population sample, which is consistent with our previous studies . Because NHIS data include all citizens of the nation without exception, no participants were missing during the follow‐up period.…”

Association of Hearing Impairment with Incident Depressive Symptoms: A Community-Based Prospective Study

“…Studying the association between hearing impairment and depression may therefore have major clinical and public health implications, especially when considering that hearing impairment is a modifiable condition in most cases. The few existing prospective studies on hearing impairment and depression mostly used self-reported status of hearing impairment (15)(16)(17), were of relatively small size (n<900) (16,17), and have so far provided mixed results (15)(16)(17)(18).…”