Тhe effects of auditory amplification on subjective assessments of hearing impairment and anxiety in people with presbycusis

Abstract

Introduction/Objective. Presbycusis, elderly hearing loss, is a progressive, bilateral sensoryneural hearing loss characterized by reduced sensitivity of hearing and understanding speech in a noisy environment, thereby impairing communication and inducing anxiety. The objective was to examine the impact of hearing amplification on subjective hearing disability assessment and anxiety in people with presbycusis. Method. Sample consisted of 120 respondents aged 47–85 with presbycusis, 60 subjects with and 60 subjects with no auditory amplification. The standardized Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly and the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory were used in the study. Results. In subjects with hearing amplification, test/retest has no statistical significance in the STAI and HHIE scales and subscales, except the HHIE-S (p = 0.004) with a lower score on the retest. Respondents in whom hearing amplification was performed during the year was statistically significant in HHIE (p = 0.016), HHIE-S (p = 0.004) and STAI-S (p = 0.029) which speaks of favorable effect of hearing amplification. In the group with no hearing amplification, statistical significance was observed in relation to the HHIE scores (p = 0.002), HHIE-E (p = 0.000), STAI (p = 0.000), STAI-S (p = 0.001) and STAI-T (p = 0.001) and it was noticed that anxiety, loss of emotional contacts, and more pronounced degree of hearing impairment were the result of unassisted hearing rehabilitation. Conclusion. Audiological practice should include tests for assessment of hearing disability and anxiety in order to preserve health in later life. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. OI178027 and Grant no. 179055]

Keywords

• presbycusis
• anxiety
• hearing impairment
• social isolation