OBJECTIVES: There is increased recognition of the importance of hearing ability in social connectedness and healthy aging. Hearing loss is common among Veterans, and hearing rehabilitation is prioritized within the Veterans Administration (VA)....
Veterans with severe hearing loss have distinct rehabilitation needs tied to social isolation and aging; clinicians serving this population should consider social connectedness as a formal outcome measure, though no specific protocol change is mandated by this paper alone.
Veterans represent a disproportionately large share of severe hearing loss cases, and understanding their unique barriers to rehabilitation can inform more targeted service delivery and policy.
- 01Focuses on veterans with severe hearing loss, a population with unique audiological and psychosocial needs.
- 02Highlights social connectedness as a key rehabilitation outcome alongside audiometric benefit.
- 03Frames hearing rehabilitation within the broader context of healthy aging.
- 04Identifies system-level and patient-level barriers to effective hearing care in veterans.
- 05Published in Ear & Hearing, a leading peer-reviewed audiology journal.
Veterans with severe hearing loss face distinct challenges in hearing rehabilitation compared to the general population.
studypartially supportedSocial connectedness is a meaningful outcome in hearing rehabilitation for aging veterans.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42426936
- DOI
- 10.1097/AUD.0000000000001858.
- Journal
- Ear and Hearing
- Publication type
- review
- Evidence level
- 5
- Population
- Veterans with severe hearing loss
- Intervention
- Hearing rehabilitation strategies
Primary outcomes
Hearing rehabilitation outcomes; Social connectedness; Healthy aging indicators