Vision and hearing problems and psychosocial outcomes: longitudinal evidence from the German Ageing Survey

André Hajek; Razak M Gyasi; Benedikt Kretzler; Hans-Helmut König

doi:10.1007/s00127-023-02588-9

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Vision and hearing problems and psychosocial outcomes: longitudinal evidence from the German Ageing Survey

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Vision and hearing problems and psychosocial outcomes: longitudinal evidence from the German Ageing Survey

André Hajek, Razak M Gyasi, Benedikt Kretzler and Hans-Helmut König

Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, Vol.59, pp.879-886

05/2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-023-02588-9

Appears in Recent National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine Publications

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Abstract

Hearing impairment

Hearing problems

Visual impairment

Vision problems

Loneliness

Social isolation

Social exclusion

Social contact

Social embeddedness

Depression

Purpose To examine whether changes in vision and hearing problems are associated with changes in psychosocial outcomes (in terms of depressive symptoms, loneliness, and perceived social isolation). Methods We used longitudinal data from the nationally representative German Ageing Survey, which covers individuals aged 43 years and over (wave 6 and wave 7, with 7108 observations and mean age of 67.5 years, SD 10.2 years). The 6-item De Jong Gierveld tool was used to quantify loneliness, the Bude and Lantermann tool was used to quantify perceived social isolation, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (15-item version) was used to quantify depressive symptoms. Self-rated problems reading the newspaper due to vision problems and self-rated difficulties recognizing known people on the street due to vision problems were used to quantify vision problems. In addition, self-rated hearing problems on the telephone and self-rated hearing problems in groups of more than four people were used to quantify hearing problems. Results Adjusting for various confounders, longitudinal regressions showed that the onset of major vision problems referring to difficulties recognizing people one knows on the street was associated with increases in loneliness (β = 0.17, p < .01) and depressive symptoms (β = 1.90, p < 0.05). Moreover, the onset of some vision problems referring to difficulties reading the newspaper was associated with increases in perceived social isolation (β = 0.06, p < 0.01). Additionally, the onset of some hearing problems in groups of more than four people was associated with increases in depressive symptoms (β = 0.43, p < 0.05). Conclusion Our longitudinal study showed that vision and hearing problems can contribute differently to psychosocial factors. Delaying sensory impairment may result in favorable psychosocial factors in later life.

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Title: Vision and hearing problems and psychosocial outcomes: longitudinal evidence from the German Ageing Survey
Creators: André Hajek - University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
Razak M Gyasi - Southern Cross University
Benedikt Kretzler - University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
Hans-Helmut König - University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
Publication Details: Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, Vol.59, pp.879-886
Publisher: Springer Medizin
Identifiers: 991013149996602368
Academic Unit: National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

Vision and hearing problems and psychosocial outcomes: longitudinal evidence from the German Ageing Survey

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