Hearing Loss Linked to Postural Instability in Older Adults

A study in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery found that the chances of postural instability are higher in older adults with moderate or worse hearing loss, even when the loss is on one side only, reports Medical Xpress . The researchers analyzed data of 3,864 Korean participants, more than half of whom were women, and whose average age was 57.8 years. Female gender was associated with higher odds of postural instability compared to male gender, while the odds of postural instability grew with every 12-month increase in age. No connection between an increase in the odds of postural instability and unilateral or bilateral mild hearing loss was observed. However, when adjusting for age and sex, moderate hearing loss on at least one side was associated with higher odds of postural instability. "It may be helpful to consider these findings when making recommendations or research on hearing rehabilitation to prevent postural instability," the authors suggested.