Individuals with hearing difficulties had higher odds of showing signs of aggressive behaviors than those with no difficulty in hearing. The odds of aggressive behaviors increased as hearing worsened. After adjustment, compared with individuals without hearing loss, older adults with severe or total hearing loss had twice the odds of displaying signs of aggressive behavior (odds ratio, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.81-2.26). Additionally, individuals with moderate hearing loss had almost 1.5 times the odds of showing aggressive behaviors (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.34-1.55) CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: This research suggests that hearing loss is an important factor to assess and address among older adults. Results of this study illustrate that age-related sensory declines can impact other health-related behavioral conditions. In home care settings, sensory and behavioral changes should be monitored and assessed at regular intervals as part of multidisciplinary care planning. Performing routine hearing tests may result in earlier intervention and better management of care for home care populations, reducing caregiver burden particularly in individuals with multiple comorbidities. Early interventions may include incorporating routine hearing screenings, behavioral monitoring linked to sensory decline, and greater use of assistive devices or other enhanced communication strategies.
Kinsell et al. (Sat,) studied this question.