Mortality and hospitalization among older caregivers: Results from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

Background: Few studies have comprehensively examined health outcomes among older caregivers. We aimed to describe older caregivers and characterize risks for mortality and hospitalization compared to non-caregivers.

Methods: Caregiving status and characteristics were determined for Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study participants via a one-time telephone assessment in 2015.

Association of sensory and motor impairments with dementia: a cross-sectional analysis in US older adults.

Background: Impairments in sensory and motor function are common in older adults and have been linked with higher prevalence of dementia. However, their independent associations with dementia have not been examined in a nationally representative population.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS; Round 11/2021) of U.

Dual sensory loss and cognitive performance among older adults in India.

BackgroundHearing loss (HL) and vision loss (VL) occur frequently among older adults and are independent risk factors for dementia, including in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where incident dementia is common. There is little research on the prevalence of dual sensory loss (DSL) and its association with cognitive health in LMICs.ObjectiveThis study investigates cross-sectional associations between DSL and cognitive performance among older adults in India.

The disability mismatch: the case for a comprehensive disability status measure.

Introduction: Current disability questions used in many US federal surveys exclusively measure disability as having 1 or more of 6 functional limitations. This strategy is at odds with who is disabled as some disabled people do not experience these limitations.

Methods: Using data from a nationally representative survey of 2169 adults, this study describes the potential of a comprehensive disability status question to improve the measurement of disability.

Effects of hearing intervention on falls in older adults: findings from a secondary analysis of the ACHIEVE randomised controlled trial.

Background: Hearing loss is highly prevalent among older adults and has been associated with an increased likelihood of falling. We aimed to examine the effect of a hearing intervention on falls over 3 years among older adults in a secondary analysis of the ACHIEVE study.

Methods: The Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) study was a 3-year, unmasked, randomised controlled trial of adults aged 70-84 years at enrolment with untreated hearing loss and without substantial cognitive impairment.

Dementia caregiving in India: New evidence from a National representative sample.

Introduction: As India's population ages, the prevalence of dementia is increasing rapidly, inducing higher need for informal caregivers for a complex population. However, the effects of individuals' cognitive impairment on their caregivers' well-being in India have not been well studied.

Methods: We analyzed data from 4196 informants of participants in the Longitudinal Aging Study in India-Diagnostic Assessment of Dementia (LASI-DAD).

Cognitive benefits of hearing intervention vary by risk of cognitive decline: A secondary analysis of the ACHIEVE trial.

Introduction: Results from the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) trial suggest hearing intervention may not reduce 3-year cognitive decline in all older adults with hearing loss but may be beneficial in certain groups. This secondary analysis investigated if participants with multiple risk factors for cognitive decline received greater benefits.

Methods: We used a sample of dementia-free participants (N = 2692) from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort to develop a predictive model for cognitive decline.

Rationale for the Development of a Universal Hearing Metric for Public Consumption: Initiative 1 of the Hearing Health Collaborative.

Objective: Present the rationale for the development of a new, patient-facing vital sign for adult hearing.

Study Design: Structured A3 process.

Setting: Fourteen virtual meetings and two in-person meetings held between May 2021 and June 2022.

Hearing Intervention, Social Isolation, and Loneliness: A Secondary Analysis of the ACHIEVE Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Promoting social connection among older adults is a public health priority. Addressing hearing loss may reduce social isolation and loneliness among older adults.

Objective: To describe the effect of a best-practice hearing intervention vs health education control on social isolation and loneliness over a 3-year period in the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) study.

Population Attributable Fraction of Incident Dementia Associated With Hearing Loss.

Importance: Hearing loss treatment delays cognitive decline in high-risk older adults. The preventive potential of addressing hearing loss on incident dementia in a community-based population of older adults, and whether it varies by method of hearing loss measurement, is unknown.

Objective: To calculate the population attributable fraction of incident dementia associated with hearing loss in older adults and to investigate differences by age, sex, self-reported race, and method of hearing loss measurement.

Effects of Hearing Intervention on Physical Activity Measured by Accelerometry: A Secondary Analysis of the ACHIEVE Study.

Background: Hearing loss is prevalent in older adults and is associated with reduced daily physical activity, but whether hearing intervention attenuates declines in physical activity is unknown. We investigated the 3-year effect of a hearing intervention versus a health education control on accelerometer-measured physical activity in older adults with hearing loss.

Methods: This secondary analysis of the ACHIEVE randomized controlled trial included 977 adults aged 70-84 years with hearing loss.

Disparities in Hearing Aid Use Among Those With Hearing Loss in Rural and Urban Settings.

Objective: To investigate potential disparities in hearing aid use among urban and rural populations with hearing loss.

Study Design: Cross-sectional analysis.

Methods: We used pooled data from the 2017 and 2018 rounds of the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS).

Otoacoustic Emissions Testing to Identify Hearing Loss in the ICU: A Feasibility Study.

Objectives: Hearing impairment is associated with delirium among ICU patients and a lack of functional recovery among older ICU survivors. We assessed the feasibility of using otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) testing to screen for preexisting hearing loss in the ICU.

Design: Pilot study.

Impact of a Hearing Intervention on the Levels of Leisure-Time Physical Activity and T.V. Viewing in Older Adults: Results from a Secondary Analysis of the ACHIEVE Study.

Background: Age-related hearing loss is common among older adults and may influence physical activity and sedentary behaviors, such as TV viewing. This study examined whether a hearing intervention could affect these behaviors over 3 years.

Methods: A total of 977 participants (mean age of 76.

Hearing Loss, Difficulty With Activities of Daily Living, and Experience of Consequences of Related Unmet Needs in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Purpose: Experiencing difficulty with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental ADLs (IADLs) and/or the consequences of unmet ADL/IADL-related needs is associated with adverse health-related outcomes. The association of hearing loss (HL) with experiencing the consequences of unmet ADL/IADL-related needs is not well understood. We investigated the associations of HL with experiencing ADL/IADL difficulties and the consequences of unmet ADL/IADL-related needs in older adults.

Sleep characteristics and hearing loss in middle-aged and older adults: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015-2018.

Background: Population-based evidence linking sleep characteristics with hearing is limited and how the associations change with age remains unknown. We aim to investigate cross-sectional associations between sleep characteristics and hearing by age in a nationally representative sample of U.S.

Hearing care in low-resourced and humanitarian settings: findings from a pilot study in South Sudan.

Objectives: This longitudinal experimental study aimed to profile audiometric hearing loss, explore the feasibility and efficacy of low-cost hearing devices, and examine their social and emotional impact on participants in South Sudan, a low-resource humanitarian setting.

Design: We performed pure tone hearing screenings on adults with self-reported hearing disability, randomly providing eligible participants with one of two inexpensive devices-Asana Pro 800, a non-customizable hearing device fit unilaterally, or the Super Ear SE9000, a hand-held amplifier with headphones given one per individual.

Study Sample: Between October 2022 and January 2023, 142 adults underwent hearing screening at the Juba Teaching Hospital ENT clinic, of whom 19 eligible individuals were provided with hearing devices.

Association of Self-Recognition of Hearing Loss With Hospitalizations in Older Adults in the United States.

Background: Hearing loss is highly prevalent and associated with increased health care utilization. Recognition of hearing loss may play an important role in self-advocacy in difficult communication situations and prevent negative outcomes.

Objectives: To investigate the associations between self-recognition of hearing loss and hospitalization outcomes.

Associations of Traumatic Brain Injury and Hearing: Results From the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS).

Objective: To examine associations of traumatic brain injury (TBI) with self-reported and clinical measures of hearing function.

Setting: Four US communities.

Participants: A total of 3176 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study participants who attended the sixth study visit in 2016-2017, when hearing was assessed.

Disparities in Mortality Outcomes Among Older Adults With Communication Disabilities Using the National Health and Aging Trends Study.

Objective(s): To examine whether a nationally representative population of older adults with communication disabilities (CDs) has a higher risk of mortality than older adults without these disabilities, independent of sociodemographic, health, and other disability characteristics.

Design: Retrospective, cohort study. We conducted a survival analysis using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusting for sociodemographic, health, and other disability characteristics.