Assessing the relationship between hearing impairment and falls in older adults

Falls and fall-related injuries are the major sources of mortality, disability, and dysfunction among older people. The study aimed to examine the association between hearing impairment and falls in Chinese older adults, using data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. The outcome variable was experienced falls in the past year, and the exposure variable was hearing impairment. The odds ratio (OR) of falls was 1.51 and 1.47 for men and women with hearing impairment than those without hearing impairment after adjusting for covariates. For participants aged 60–69 years, 70–79 years, 80–89 years, and ≥ 90 years, the OR of risk of falls associated with hearing impairment was 2.80, 1.41, 1.50 and 1.44, respectively. These results suggested that there was an association between hearing impairment and falls. Older adults with hearing impairment had a higher risk of falls than those without hearing impairment in the Chinese older population.