Personality traits and the risk of sensory impairment: Evidence from the National Health and Aging Trends Study

Abstract

Objective: Sensory impairment has pervasive effects on older individuals' quality of life and health. Although recent research found an association between personality traits and the risk of hearing and vision impairment, data on older adults is limited, and no study has examined dual-sensory impairment. Therefore, the present study examined the prospective relationship between personality traits and risk of hearing, vision, and dual sensory impairment among older adults. Method: Participants were older adults aged 67 to 94 years (N = 829) from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). Personality traits, demographic, clinical (body mass index, diabetes, and high blood pressure), and behavioral (smoking and physical activity) factors were assessed in 2013/2014. Objective measures of hearing and vision were obtained in 2021. Results: Controlling for demographic factors, higher conscientiousness was associated with a lower risk of hearing (OR: 0.81; 95%CI: 0.67–0.97, p = .022), vision (OR: 0.83, 95%CI: 0.71–0.97, p = .022) and dual sensory impairment (OR: 0.70, 95%CI: 0.56–0.86, p < .001). Higher openness (OR: 0.81, 95%CI: 0.68–0.97, p = .023) and neuroticism (OR: 0.74, 95%CI: 0.62–0.88, p < .001) were associated with a lower risk of hearing impairment. Clinical and behavioral covariates partially accounted for these associations. Conclusion: Consistent with other age-related health and cognitive outcomes, conscientiousness may be protective against sensory impairment. Surprisingly, neuroticism had a protective effect for hearing, but not vision. The findings provide novel evidence for an association between personality and sensory impairment among older adults.