Abstract:
Objective: To determine if the use of hearing aids yields significant benefit in older adults’ attentional ability, and if so, to what extent in comparison to non-hearing aid wearers with a similar sensorineural hearing loss. To determine if there are significant differences within the hearing aid and non-hearing aid groups, when certain variables are controlled for (i.e.., age, duration of hearing aid use, high-frequency hearing loss, etc.). Methods: Nineteen right-handed older adults, between 60-70 years of age, with mild to severe sensorineural hearing loss were recruited for one two-hour session. The session consisted of a brief history, a questionnaire (Mini Mental State Exam), an audiological assessment, and completion of five tasks of the Comprehensive Attention Battery (CAB®). Participants completed two questionnaires (i.e., Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and Edinburg Handedness Inventory) prior to attending the session. Participants were divided into two groups: one group of hearing aid wearers (N=9) and one group of non-hearing aid wearers (N=10). A bivariate correlation analysis was used to evaluate all participants and each group separately on performance of the selective attention tasks. Results: Bivariate correlation analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between the two groups on performance of the CAB®. However, there were statistically significant correlations within the hearing aid group, when age and high frequency hearing loss (i.e., 4,000 Hz and 6,000 Hz) were controlled for. There were no statistically significant findings within the non-hearing aid group when age was controlled for. Conclusions: This research highlighted the complexity of aging, sensorineural hearing loss, and selective attention ability in older adults. Further research is recommended to ascertain if hearing aid wearers perform better on selective attention tasks, in comparison to non-hearing aid wearers.
