PP111 - Implications of Working Memory on Acoustic Stimulation in Hearing Aids and Older Adults' QoL

POSTERS

Instructional Level: Fundamental

Lead Presenter(s)

Maria Beatriz Baruzzi, PhD

Instructor Professor
Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo
São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Disclosure(s): No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

PDF Slides

Presenter(s)

MM

Maria Cecilia Martinelli, PhD (she/her/hers)

Associate professor
Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo
Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Disclosure(s): No financial or nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

PDF Slides

Abstract:
This study investigates the relationship between working memory, hearing aids, and quality of life in older adults with age-related hearing loss. 48 participants, aged 60 to 94, completed assessments before and after four months of hearing aid use. Results showed that better education correlated with improved working memory and hearing performance. Hearing aid use enhanced speech recognition in noise and reduced depressive symptoms. However, no significant impact was found on overall quality of life. The findings suggest that hearing aids can improve cognitive function and mood, but their effect on quality of life remains limited.

Summary:
Introduction
Hearing loss can affect older peoples’ functioning, social interaction, and quality of life.

Objective
To verify the correlation between working memory and its implications for better acoustic stimulation with hearing aids and the quality of life of older adults.

Methods
48 participants aged 60 to 94 years, without symptoms of dementia and with age-related hearing loss. Data were collected regarding the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), working memory (WM) tests, gaps-in-noise test (GIN), Portuguese sentence list test (PSL), and quality of life questionnaire (SF-36), applied before and after 4 months of hearing aid use. Lastly, the study included the average time of daily hearing aid use and the results of the self-assessment questionnaire (IOI-HA).

Results
There was a greater concentration in the C2 socioeconomic class (41.7%), with a positive correlation between education and WM tests. Better GIN results were related to younger ages, longer years of education, higher socioeconomic class, and higher WM test scores. GIN and PSL scores improved with the use of sound amplification. Depressive symptoms decreased after the intervention. There was a negative correlation between hearing aid use, education, and forward digit span scores, and between the IOI-HA, education, ABEP, and running span scores.

Conclusion
Amplification use was associated with reduced depressive symptoms and better results in temporal resolution and sentence recognition in noise, though without impact on quality of life.

Keywords
Memory. Cognition. Elderly. Hearing Loss. Hearing aids. Quality of life.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion, participants will be able to analyze the relationship between working memory and hearing aid performance in older adults.
Upon completion, participants will be able to evaluate the impact of hearing aid use on speech recognition, particularly in noisy environments.
Upon completion, participants will be able to assess the effects of hearing aid use on depressive symptoms and cognitive function in older adults.
Upon completion, participants will be able to examine the influence of education levels and socioeconomic status on cognitive performance in older adults with hearing loss.