Association between hearing loss, depression, anxiety, and social isolation in middle-aged and older outpatients in Afghanistan.

Background: Hearing loss (HL) is a major public health problem that is significant for mental health and physical conditions. HL may be a potentially modifiable risk factor for poorer mental health outcomes. The study aimed to explore the association between HL, social isolation, anxiety, and depression.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of consecutive patients aged 50 years or older (n = 226) from February 2023 to August 2023. We used regression models to assess the association between HL and the odds of social isolation, anxiety, and depression.

Results: There are more female participants with HL (58.7% vs. 41.3%) than male individuals with HL. HL was found to have a statistically significant association with smoking (p = 0.001), and HL showed significant associations with anxiety and depression (p = 0.008 and p = 0.011, respectively). A significant association was also observed between HL and social isolation (p = 0.016). HL was associated with diabetes mellitus (p = 0.006) and hypertension (p = 0.008). Participants with HL were more likely to have depression (OR = 2.16; 95% CI: 1.05-4.44), social isolation (OR = 2.87; 95% CI: 1.44-5.70), and anxiety (OR = 2.62; 95% CI: 1.21-5.67) compared to participants in the no hearing loss (No-HL) group.

Conclusions: This study shows that HL is consistently associated with poorer mental health symptoms and poor social isolation. Although additional evidence is necessary, it is plausible that addressing HL would alter this trajectory.