The association between non-communicable disease and hearing aid adoption in older adults with hearing loss.

Objective: To assess whether specific non-communicable diseases are associated with hearing aid adoption in older adults with hearing loss. Design: A cross-sectional, observational study. Study sample: Data was obtained from one of the largest pharmacy-led health and beauty retailers in the United Kingdom. In total, 17,172 older adults were included. Results: Greater odds of adopting hearing aids were associated with being older (Odds ratio [ OR ] = 1.03; 95% confidence interval [ CI ] = 1.02, 1.03), having fewer self-reported hearing difficulties ( OR  = 0.61; 95% CI  = 0.58, 0.64), and greater audiometric hearing loss ( OR  = 1.68; 95% CI  = 1.54, 1.83). The odds of adopting hearing aids were lower if individuals self-reported hypertension ( OR  = 0.87; 95% CI  = 0.79, 0.97) and diabetes ( OR  = 0.83; 95% CI  = 0.72, 0.95). Using a decision tree model, self-reported hearing difficulties, audiometric hearing loss, and age were the best combination of variables to differentiate between individuals that did and did not adopt hearing aids. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that hearing aid adoption is lower in older adults with cardiovascular disease risk factors. Thus, there is a need for healthcare professionals to identify older adults living with hearing loss and cardiovascular ill-health, ensuring that they receive appropriate patient-centred support to manage their health.