By Alaina Kortokrax, Pharmacy Resident and Karen Kier, Pharmacist
On behalf of the ONU HealthWise team
I Heard It Through the Grapevine was first released by Motown Records on September 28, 1967. It was recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips. The second release was in August of 1968 by The Miracles, even though they were the first to record it in 1966. The third release was by Marvin Gaye on October 30, 1968. The Marvin Gaye version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 and has been used in television commercials and movies.
Why is hearing so important to our health?
Hearing loss has been associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline, dementia and poor physical health. The National Institute on Aging reports a faster decline of memory and concentration in those individuals who have hearing losses without corrective devices compared to those with normal hearing. A Johns Hopkins study followed 639 adults over a 12-year period and found those with mild hearing loss were 2 times more likely to develop dementia compared to those with severe hearing loss, who were 5 times more likely.
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The World Health Organization reports only 1 person out of 5 who could benefit from hearing aids actually wears them. In a 2023 survey in the United States, only 29.2% of individuals with hearing loss wore hearing aids. Some common concerns with wearing hearing aids include poor fit, lack of comfort, difficulty in noisy situations, no perceived benefit by the individual and the cost.
Researchers evaluated 14 different studies looking at hearing aids and overall health in Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery. The authors’ conclusion suggested a benefit in improving loneliness, social isolation, depression and frailty when hearing aids were used consistently.
Data relating to cognitive decline and wearing hearing aids has been mixed. Some studies offer evidence of benefit in reducing mild cognitive decline with hearing aids while a 2023 study in Lancet found a reduction in 3-year cognitive decline in those at highest risk of developing dementia, but not in those with low risk.
A United States study demonstrated adults with hearing loss who regularly wore their hearing aids were at a lower risk for dying when compared to those who never wore their hearing aids.
The Lancet Healthy Longevity journal published an article where 9,885 participants were checked at the beginning of the study and had a follow-up around 10 years later for their hearing, hearing aid use and death. Of this group of people aged 20 years and older, 14.7% had measured hearing loss and 12.7% of this group regularly wore their hearing aids while 6.6% did not wear their hearing aids at all. The study accounted for the age of the participants and found adults with any hearing loss were over one and a half times more likely to pass away than those without hearing loss. Participants who reported wearing their hearing aids regularly were about half as likely to pass away than those who never wore their hearing aids, regardless of age or level of hearing loss.
If you are noticing difficulty in hearing your friends and family or your television shows, it might be time to get your hearing checked. Screening is important.
Hearing loss can happen at any point in life. Factors impacting hearing loss include multiple ear infections as a child, ear injuries, loud sound exposure, genetics and hearing loss as part of naturally aging. Getting hearing aids when recommended by a healthcare professional can help you hear the sounds of everyday life and possibly help you live longer.
Get your hearing checked and wear your hearing aids if prescribed so you can hear what is coming through the grapevine!
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