A scoping review of studies investigating hearing loss, social isolation and/or loneliness in adults

Abstract Hearing loss is highly prevalent among older adults, as is occurrences of loneliness and social isolation. Both loneliness and social isolation are also associated with insidious outcomes such as earlier mortality from all-causes and higher prevalence of chronic comorbidities. The purpose of this review is to synthesize published investigations that report on the associations between hearing loss with loneliness and social isolation. A systematic search through PubMed, Embase, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library identified an initial total of 2495 references. Two independent reviewers screened articles for inclusion, with a third reviewer adjudicating. Studies published in English of older adults with hearing loss that also assessed loneliness and/or social isolation using a validated measure were included. Investigators used a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) to appraise study quality. A final total of 14 articles were included in the review. The majority (12/14) were cross-sectional in design. Assessment methods were varied across hearing status, loneliness, and social isolation. Despite this heterogeneity, most multivariable adjusted investigations revealed that hearing loss was significantly associated with higher risks for both phenomena. Several studies also revealed this association to vary across gender, with women showing a stronger association than men. Our findings indicate that hearing loss is associated with both loneliness and social isolation, which have important implications for the cognitive and psychosocial health of older adults. Future investigations should examine possible underlying mechanisms of these relationships, as well as the efficacy of interventions through aural rehabilitation programs in addressing loneliness and social isolation.

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Social Isolation in Chinese Older Adults: Scoping Review for Age-Friendly Community Planning

Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement ◽

10.1017/s0714980817000101 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 223-245 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

M. Anum Syed ◽

Lynn McDonald ◽

Corinne Smirle ◽

Karen Lau ◽

Raza M. Mirza ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Community Planning ◽

Services De Santé ◽

Chinese Older Adults ◽

Milieu Urbain ◽

Participation Sociale

RÉSUMÉLes adultes chinois plus âgés peuvent être exposés à un risque accru d’isolement social et de solitude; pourtant, une telle compréhension des défis auxquels ils peuvent faire face pour la participation sociale dans leurs quartiers et communautés est fragmentée. Un examen de la portée a été entrepris pour décrire les connaissances actuelles sur l’isolement social et la solitude chez les aînés chinois vivant en milieu urbain dans les sociétés occidentales afin d’éclairer les recherches, les pratiques et les politiques futures au Canada. Dix-neuf articles répondent aux critères d’inclusion. Le système des communautés conçues pour les adultes vieillisantes de l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé a contextualisé les résultats de l’étude. Les études ont identifié des questions liées (1) à la participation sociale; (2) au soutien communautaire et aux services de santé; (3) au logement; (4) à la communauté et à l’information; (5) au respect et à l’inclusion sociale; (6) aux espaces extérieurs et aux édifices publics; (7) à la participation civique et à l’emploi; et (8) au transport. L’isolement social et la solitude sont des préoccupations croissantes au sein de cette population au Canada, et des recherches supplémentaires sont nécessaires pour en déterminer la portée et les interventions efficaces.

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Hearing loss in Morquio A disease: a scoping review protocol (Preprint)

JMIR Research Protocols ◽

10.2196/32986 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lorena Diaz-Ordoñez ◽

Estephania Candelo ◽

Katherine Silva-Cuero ◽

Wilmar Saldarriaga ◽

Lenka Murgasova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Morquio A ◽

Review Protocol

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Hearing Screening for Residents in Long-Term Care Homes Who Live with Dementia: A Scoping Review

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease ◽

10.3233/jad-215087 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-24

Author(s):

Fiona Höbler ◽

Katherine S. McGilton ◽

Walter Wittich ◽

Kate Dupuis ◽

Marilyn Reed ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Hearing Loss ◽

Nursing Staff ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Pure Tone ◽

Long Term Care ◽

Pure Tone Audiometry ◽

Care Homes ◽

Term Care

Background: Hearing loss is highly prevalent in older adults, particularly among those living with dementia and residing in long-term care homes (LTCHs). Sensory declines can have deleterious effects on functioning and contribute to frailty, but the hearing needs of residents are often unrecognized or unaddressed. Objective: To identify valid and reliable screening measures that are effective for the identification of hearing loss and are suitable for use by nursing staff providing care to residents with dementia in LTCHs. Methods: Electronic databases (Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, and CINAHL) were searched using comprehensive search strategies, and a stepwise approach based on Arksey & O’Malley’s scoping review and appraisal process was followed. Results: There were 193 scientific papers included in the review. Pure-tone audiometry was the most frequently reported measure to test hearing in older adults living with dementia. However, measures including self- or other-reports and questionnaires, review of medical records, otoscopy, and the whisper test were found to be most suitable for use by nurses working with older adults living with dementia in LTCHs. Conclusion: Although frequently used, the suitability of pure-tone audiometry for use by nursing staff in LTCHs is limited, as standardized audiometry presents challenges for many residents, and specific training is needed to successfully adapt test administration procedures and interpret results. The whisper test was considered to be more suitable for use by staff in LTCH; however, it yields a limited characterization of hearing loss. There remains an urgent need to develop new approaches to screen hearing in LTCHs.

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Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: A Scoping Review

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci10110786 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 786

Author(s):

Celia Kwan ◽

Mojgan Gitimoghaddam ◽

Jean-Paul Collet

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Neurodevelopmental Disabilities ◽

Ovid Medline ◽

Long Term Impact

Loneliness and social isolation have negative consequences on physical and mental health in both adult and pediatric populations. Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) are often excluded and experience more loneliness than their typically developing peers. This scoping review aims to identify the type of studies conducted in children with NDD to determine the effects of loneliness and/or social isolation. Three electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO) were searched from inception until 5 February 2019. Two independent reviewers screened the citations for inclusion and extracted data from the included articles. Quantitative (i.e., frequency analysis) and qualitative analyses (i.e., content analysis) were completed. From our search, 5768 citations were screened, 29 were read in full, and 12 were included. Ten were case-control comparisons with cross-sectional assessment of various outcomes, which limited inference. Autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and learning disorder were the most commonly studied NDD. This review showed that loneliness among children with NDD was associated with negative consequences on mental health, behaviour, and psychosocial/emotional development, with a likely long-term impact in adulthood. Lack of research in this area suggests that loneliness is not yet considered a problem in children with NDD. More studies are warranted using prospective designs and a larger sample size with a focus on the dynamic aspect of loneliness development.

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Silence, Solitude, and Serotonin: Neural Mechanisms Linking Hearing Loss and Social Isolation

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci10060367 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 367

Author(s):

Sarah M. Keesom ◽

Laura M. Hurley

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Human Subjects ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Neural Systems ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Auditory Cognition ◽

Regulatory Systems ◽

Two Factors ◽

And Function

For social animals that communicate acoustically, hearing loss and social isolation are factors that independently influence social behavior. In human subjects, hearing loss may also contribute to objective and subjective measures of social isolation. Although the behavioral relationship between hearing loss and social isolation is evident, there is little understanding of their interdependence at the level of neural systems. Separate lines of research have shown that social isolation and hearing loss independently target the serotonergic system in the rodent brain. These two factors affect both presynaptic and postsynaptic measures of serotonergic anatomy and function, highlighting the sensitivity of serotonergic pathways to both types of insult. The effects of deficits in both acoustic and social inputs are seen not only within the auditory system, but also in other brain regions, suggesting relatively extensive effects of these deficits on serotonergic regulatory systems. Serotonin plays a much-studied role in depression and anxiety, and may also influence several aspects of auditory cognition, including auditory attention and understanding speech in challenging listening conditions. These commonalities suggest that serotonergic pathways are worthy of further exploration as potential intervening mechanisms between the related conditions of hearing loss and social isolation, and the affective and cognitive dysfunctions that follow.

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Interventions on parenting styles of hearing parents parenting children with a hearing loss: a scoping review

Deafness & Education International ◽

10.1080/14643154.2018.1445156 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

pp. 41-58 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ronel S. Davids ◽

Nicolette V. Roman ◽

Catherina J. Schenck

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Parenting Styles ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Hearing Parents

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Social Isolation and Hearing Loss in the Elderly

Otolaryngology ◽

10.1177/0194599813495815a228 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 149 (2_suppl) ◽

pp. P110-P110 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Paul T. Mick ◽

Frank R. Lin

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Social Isolation ◽

The Elderly

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The Studying Multiple Outcomes After Aural Rehabilitative Treatment Study: Study Design and Baseline Results

Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine ◽

10.1177/2333721417704947 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

pp. 233372141770494 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Lingsheng Li ◽

Caitlin Blake ◽

Yoon Sung ◽

Barnett Shpritz ◽

David Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Hearing Loss ◽

Cochlear Implants ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Hearing Aids ◽

Multiple Outcomes ◽

Rehabilitative Treatment ◽

Standardized Measures ◽

Smart Study ◽

Health Related

Hearing loss may affect critical domains of health and functioning in older adults. This article describes the rationale and design of the Studying Multiple Outcomes After Aural Rehabilitative Treatment (SMART) study, which was developed to determine to what extent current hearing rehabilitative therapies could mitigate the effects of hearing loss on health outcomes. One hundred and forty-five patients ≥50 years receiving hearing aids (HA) or cochlear implants (CI) were recruited from the Johns Hopkins Department of Otolaryngology-HNS. A standardized outcome battery was administered to assess cognitive, social, mental, and physical functioning. Of the 145 participants aged 50 to 94.9 years who completed baseline evaluations, CI participants had significantly greater loneliness, social isolation, and poorer hearing and communicative function compared with HA participants. This study showed that standardized measures of health-related outcomes commonly used in gerontology appear sensitive to hearing impairment and are feasible to implement in clinical studies of hearing loss.

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Technological interventions for loneliness and social isolation among older adults: a scoping review protocol

Systematic Reviews ◽

10.1186/s13643-021-01775-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Andrew Wister ◽

Ian Fyffe ◽

Eireann O’Dea

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Scoping Review ◽

English Language ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Technological Interventions ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Evaluation Trial ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Background Loneliness and social isolation are prevalent public health concerns among community-dwelling older adults. One approach that is becoming an increasingly popular method of reducing levels of loneliness and social isolation among older adults is through technology-driven solutions. This protocol outlines a research trajectory whereby a scoping review will be initiated in order to illustrate and map the existing technological approaches that have been utilized to diminish levels of loneliness and social isolation among community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years or older. We will address the question: what are the most common and less used technological approaches to reduce loneliness and social isolation among community-dwelling older adults? Methods A scoping review of Academic Search Premier, AGEline, Global Health, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases will take place using our search terms including the following: loneliness, social isolation, older adults, elderly, Aged, Aged 80 and over, program, evaluation, trial, intervention, technology, computer, information and communication technology, internet, and robot. The initial electronic search will be supplemented by reviewing the reference lists and review articles to identify any missing studies. To meet study inclusion criteria, intervention studies had to pertain to community-dwelling adults aged 60 years or older, include technological interventions, include loneliness and/or social isolation as outcome variables, and be written in the English language. Two parallel independent assessments of study eligibility will be conducted for the title, abstract, and full-text screens. Any disagreement will be resolved by consensus and a third reviewer consulted to make a decision if consensus is not achieved initially. Finally, the amalgamation of results will be an iterative process whereby reviewers will refine the plan for presenting results after data extraction is completed so that all of the contents of the extraction may be included in the results. Discussion The information gleaned in this scoping review will be essential to understand the degree to which technological interventions influence social isolation and loneliness among older adults and identify gaps for further research.

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