Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2014; 18 - a2115
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1388749

Depression and Hearing Handicap in the Elderly: Analysis of Association with Hearing Loss

Adriane Ribeiro Teixeira 1, Bruna Macagnin Seimetz 1, Letícia Sousa Flores 1, Lilian Benin 1, Maira Rozenfeld Olchik 1, Rayane Brum de Fraga 1
  • 1Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

Introduction: Depression and hearing handicap are common problems in the elderly, having a negative impact on quality of life.

Objective: To analyze the association between depressive symptomatology and participation restrictions caused by hearing loss in a group of elderly.

Methods: Elderly were evaluated by questionnaire Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The questionnaire Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE-S) to analyze the participation restrictions caused by the hearing loss was also applied.

Results: We evaluated 48 elderly, 41 women and 8 men, mean age 70.4 ± 6.6 years. The GDS analysis revealed that the mean score was 3.3 ± 2.48 points. Regarding the analysis of HHIE, it was observed that the mean was 8.3 ± 9 points. Classifying the responses of GDS, 32 elderly (66.6%) had less than 5 points and showed no depressive symptoms; 15 individuals (31.2%) achieved a score of 5 to 11 points, with mild depressive symptoms, and an elderly (2.0%) had a score above 11 points, representing severe depressive symptoms. In HHIE-S, 4 elderly (8.3%) showed significant perception of handicap, 14 elderly (29.1%) had mild-to-moderate perception, and 30 elderly (62.5%) had no perception of handicap. The analysis of the scores between the two scales showed no significant association (p = 0.09).

Conclusion: There was no significant association between depressive symptoms and participation restrictions arising from hearing loss in the study group.