Cognitive, health, and sociodemographic predictors of longitudinal decline in hearing acuity among older adults

Abstract

Background.We aimed to investigate predictors of change in pure-tone hearing thresholds in older adults. Methods.Data were drawn from a pooled sample from the Dynamic Analyses to Optimise Ageing (DYNOPTA) project (N = 4,221, mean age = 73.6, range: 50-103 years). Pure-tone hearing thresholds were tested for frequencies between 0.5 and 8 kHz, on up to four occasions over a period of 11 years. Linear mixed models tested for predictors of change in hearing. Results. Hearing loss for high-range frequencies preceded decline in low-range frequencies. Men had higher baseline hearing thresholds, but women experienced faster rates of decline in hearing for mid-to high-range frequencies. The estimated rate of change for a 75-year-old adult was 0.91 decibel hearing level (dB HL) per year for pure-tone thresholds averaged over frequencies ranging between 0.5 and 4 kHz in the better ear. Baseline age (β = 0.03, p