Premium
Self‐Reported Hearing Loss Predicts 5‐Year Decline in Higher‐Level Functional Capacity in High‐Functioning Elderly Adults: The Fujiwara‐Kyo Study
Author(s) -
Tomioka Kimiko,
Okamoto Nozomi,
Morikawa Masayuki,
Kurumatani Norio
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/jgs.13780
Subject(s) - medicine , gerontology , activities of daily living , confidence interval , odds ratio , logistic regression , prospective cohort study , cohort study , population , hearing loss , physical therapy , audiology , environmental health
Objectives To clarify the relationship between self‐reported hearing loss ( HL ) and 5‐year decline in higher‐level functional capacity in high‐functioning elderly adults. Design Population‐based, prospective cohort study. Setting The Fujiwara‐Kyo Study, Nara, Japan. Participants Community‐dwelling individuals aged 65 and older with a perfect baseline and valid follow‐up instrumental activity of daily living ( IADL ) (n = 3,267), intellectual activity ( IA ) (n = 2,925), and social role ( SR ) (n = 2,698) scores. Measurements Self‐reported HL was evaluated using a single question: “Do you feel you have hearing loss?” IADL s, IA , and SR were measured using the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence ( TMIG ‐ IC ) subscales. Geriatric syndromes (depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbance, falls, urinary incontinence, visual impairment) were self‐reported at baseline. Blood tests were performed to measure cardiovascular risk factors. Results During 5‐year follow‐up, new declines developed for 213 participants in IADL s, 272 in IA , and 327 in SR . After adjustment for all covariates, including geriatric syndromes, using multiple logistic regression analysis, self‐reported HL at baseline was associated with a decline in IA (odds ratio ( OR ) = 1.39, 95% confidence interval ( CI ) = 1.04–1.86) and SR ( OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.02–1.76) but not IADL s ( OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.76–1.48). Conclusion Self‐reported HL was found to be a significant predictor of decline in IA and SR . Preventive intervention against age‐related HL may contribute to maintaining high‐level functional capacity in independent elderly adults.