Association between subjective hearing difficulty and cognitive impairment among community-dwelling older adults: A secondary analysis of the 2023 National Survey of Older Koreans

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a significant public health concern affecting older adults' health. Although its association with cognitive impairment is increasingly recognized, evidence among South Korean older adults remains limited....

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The association between self-reported hearing difficulty and cognitive impairment adds to an existing evidence base; audiologists should continue routine cognitive screening conversations for older patients reporting hearing difficulty, but this secondary analysis alone does not change clinical protocols.

Reinforces the hearing–cognition link using national-scale survey data from an East Asian population, broadening the demographic evidence base for hearing loss as a modifiable risk factor in cognitive decline discussions.

1. 01Secondary analysis of the 2023 National Survey of Older Koreans — large, nationally representative dataset.
2. 02Examines subjective (self-reported) hearing difficulty rather than audiometrically confirmed hearing loss.
3. 03Significant association found between subjective hearing difficulty and cognitive impairment.
4. 04Population: community-dwelling older Korean adults with age-related hearing loss.
5. 05Cross-sectional design limits causal inference; confounders cannot be fully excluded.

PMID

42689407

DOI

10.17079/jkgn.2025.00339.

Journal

Journal of Korean Gerontological Nursing

Publication type

research_article

Evidence level

2b

Population

Community-dwelling older Korean adults with age-related hearing loss

Intervention

Subjective hearing difficulty (self-reported)

Comparator

Older adults without subjective hearing difficulty