Prevalence Of Hearing Loss and Its Associations with Anxiety and Depression Among Older People in Kuantan, Pahang
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31436/ijcs.v8i1.424Keywords:
Aged, Hearing loss, Anxiety, DepressionAbstract
Background: The prevalence of hearing loss (HL) increases with age, and globally more than 25% of older people aged 60 years and older are affected by HL. Studies consistently demonstrate that HL is associated with anxiety, depression, and diminished quality of life. However, there is limited data on these associations among older people in Malaysia. This study is aimed to determine the prevalence of hearing loss and examine its association with anxiety and depression among older people.
Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 273 older people aged 60 years and older living in the community in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia from February to May 2022. The participants were selected by convenience sampling. The instrument used for data collection was a self-administered questionnaire consisting of four parts; sociodemographic background, Hearing Handicap Inventory Elderly (HHIE), Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI), and Malay version of Geriatric Depression Scale (MGDS-14). Data were analysed as descriptive and inferential analysis (Chi-square test) using SPSS version 24.0.
Results: The prevalence of mild to moderate HL was 35.5% and severe HL was 55.7%. It was found that age (p=0.002), gender (p=0.023), marital status (p=0.007), and self-reported health status (p=0.001) were significantly associated with hearing loss. Anxiety (p=0.001) and depression (p=0.001) were significantly associated with hearing loss.
Conclusion: The prevalence of HL was consistent with previous studies, which is considered high in Malaysia. Given the significant associations between anxiety and depression with HL, early detection and effective management of hearing loss are important to improve the quality of life of older people.
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