PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether hearing aids use is associated with improvement of older-person-specific QOL and whether social interactions modify the association. METHODS: The WHOQOL-OLD questionnaire was answered by 105 older adults aged 60 to 90 years who were newly fitted hearing aids on the day of fitting and at 2 - 6 months afterward. The associations between the daily hours of hearing aid usage and social relations with changes in the WHOQOL-OLD total score after hearing aids fitting were estimated adjusting for possible confounders. RESULTS: Older persons with hearing loss experienced significant increases in WHOQOL-OLD total score after hearing aid fitting. Regular use of hearing aid was associated with a greater increase in the total score. The combined categorical variable of social relations and hearing aid usage revealed no separate effects of these two variables, but a combined effect; only those with frequent social interactions who used their hearing aid regularly had a significantly greater increase in WHOQOL-OLD total score. CONCLUSION: This study's findings indicate that hearing aid fitting may be associated with a subsequent improvement in older-person-specific QOL by improvements in hearing due to the hearing aid, and possibly enhanced communication opportunities.

The Centre for Research and Science Faculty of Health Sciences Palacky University in Olomouc Hnevotinska 3 775 15 Olomouc Czech Republic

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