The association of hearing loss with frailty among community-dwelling older adults: findings from the National Health and Aging Trends Study

BACKGROUND: The identification of modifiable risk factors is crucial for the prevention and/or reversal of frailty, which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Hearing loss affects two-thirds of older adults in the United States (U.S.) and is associated with physical and cognitive decline which may increase frailty risk. We investigated the association of hearing loss and hearing aid use with frailty and pre-frailty in a nationally representative sample of older adults in the U.S. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2021 round). The better-hearing ear pure-tone average (BPTA) at speech-frequencies (0.5–4 kHz) was modeled continuously (per 10 dB) and categorically (no ≤ 25 dB, mild 26–40 dB, moderate or greater > 40 dB hearing loss). Hearing aid use was self-reported. The physical frailty phenotype (frail, pre-frail, robust) was determined based on Fried criteria: unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, low physical activity, weakness, slow walking speed. We used multinomial multivariable regression adjusted for sociodemographic and health characteristics (odds ratios [95% Confidence Intervals]). RESULTS: Among 2,361 participants (mean age = 81 years, 56% female, 19% Black), 860 (36%) had mild and 864 (37%) had moderate or greater hearing loss. Worse hearing was associated with greater odds of being frail versus robust (OR = 1.20 [1.05–1.38] per 10 dB difference). Categorically, moderate or greater hearing loss was associated with greater odds of being frail (OR = 1.84 [1.01–3.08]) and pre-frail (OR = 1.46 [1.01–2.10]) versus robust. Among 1,724 participants with hearing loss, compared to hearing aid users (N = 522), nonusers had greater odds of being frail (OR = 2.54 [1.54–4.18]) and pre-frail (OR = 1.51 [1.05–2.17]) versus robust, and frail versus pre-frail (OR = 1.68 [1.04–2.72]). CONCLUSIONS: In a nationally representative sample of older adults in the U.S., using gold-standard hearing measures and a validated frailty phenotype, hearing loss and lack of hearing aid use was cross-sectionally associated with frailty and pre-frailty. Future longitudinal studies are needed to establish if hearing loss is a risk factor for frailty, which may have significant clinical importance. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-023-04465-1.