Comparison of Cognitive Functions in Elderly Population with and Without Hearing Loss

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the association between hearing loss and cognitive functions in the elderly population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 12 elderly individuals with hearing loss (elderly hearing impaired [EHI]) and 20 elderly individuals with normal hearing (elderly normal hearing [ENH]). The participants in the study were aged between 60 and 65 years. The audiological and cognitive tests were performed on both the groups. Results: The data compiled through descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance revealed clinically significant differences between the EHI and ENH on different cognitive tests. This indicates that elderly population associated with hearing loss requires more time to process the tasks as compared to ENH individuals. Conclusion: There is a higher decline in cognitive functions in elderly individuals when associated with hearing loss compared to normal-hearing individuals. Since it is noticed as a comorbid condition, both cognition and hearing loss have to be assessed and treated in these individuals for better quality of life.