The Association of Vision, Hearing, and Dual-Sensory Loss with Walking Speed and Incident Slow Walking: Longitudinal and Time to Event Analyses in the Health and Retirement Study

Abstract With the aging of the population, vision (VL), hearing (HL), and dual-sensory (DSL, concurrent VL and HL) loss will likely constitute important public health challenges. Walking speed is an indicator of functional status and is associated with mortality. Using the Health and Retirement Stud...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Seminars in hearing 2021-02, Vol.42 (1), p.075-084
Main Authors: Shakarchi, Ahmed F., Assi, Lama, Gami, Abhishek, Kohn, Christina, Ehrlich, Joshua R., Swenor, Bonnielin K., Reed, Nicholas S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging
Hearing disorders
Public health
Review
Review Article
Visual impairment
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Summary:Abstract With the aging of the population, vision (VL), hearing (HL), and dual-sensory (DSL, concurrent VL and HL) loss will likely constitute important public health challenges. Walking speed is an indicator of functional status and is associated with mortality. Using the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative U.S. cohort, we analyzed the longitudinal relationship between sensory loss and walking speed. In multivariable mixed effects linear models, baseline walking speed was slower by 0.05 m/s (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.04–0.07) for VL, 0.02 (95% CI = 0.003–0.03) for HL, and 0.07 (95% CI = 0.05–0.08) for DSL compared with those without sensory loss. Similar annual declines in walking speeds occurred in all groups. In time-to-event analyses, the risk of incident slow walking speed (walking speed 
ISSN:0734-0451
1098-8955
DOI:10.1055/s-0041-1726017