Loneliness, Social Networks and Hearing Loss: An Update on the ACHIEVE study

This week, Brian Taylor sits down with Dr. Alison Huang, a senior research associate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, to delve into the complex relationship between loneliness, social networks, and hearing loss.
Dr. Huang shares her expertise as both an epidemiologist and a gerontologist, discussing the prevalence of social isolation and loneliness among older adults, particularly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlighting the distinctions between social isolation and loneliness, she explains how hearing loss can contribute to feelings of loneliness, even in the presence of a social network.
The conversation also explores findings from the ACHIEVE study, a groundbreaking randomized trial testing the effect of hearing intervention on cognitive decline and other health outcomes among older adults with untreated hearing loss. Dr. Huang provides insights into the study's primary outcomes, challenges, and implications for clinical practice, emphasizing the importance of increasing awareness of hearing health and destigmatizing hearing intervention. Finally, she shares insights into upcoming projects aimed at further understanding the impact of hearing intervention on social and mental health outcomes.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:50 Prevalence of Social Isolation and Loneliness
04:05 Differentiating Social Isolation and Loneliness
06:30 Relationship between Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Hearing Loss (12:01 - 17:00)
11:39 Insights from ACHIEVE Study
19:45 Social Network Size and Hearing in Noise Ability
21:40 How Can Clinicians Properly Interpret Research Findings?
24:50 Increasing Awareness, Future Research Directions
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