Understanding the correlates of hearing-specific empowerment in a clinical hearing loss population

To identify in a clinical hearing loss population (i) how, and to what extent, hearing-specific empowerment is associated with demographics (e.g. age, gender, employment), hearing factors, social isolation and loneliness, emotional and mental health, and cognition, and (ii) the impact of hearing aids on hearing-specific empowerment. A prospective, cross-sectional study collected data via an online survey (RedCAP). Multiple regression analyses used the 15-item Empowerment Audiology Questionnaire (EmpAQ-15) as the dependent variable. Adults (n = 693) who attended four audiology clinics or were invited from a research database. Across the whole sample, hearing aid use, social satisfaction, emotional and cognitive measures were most highly correlated with the EmpAQ-15. Similar results were seen for a subset of hearing aid users (n = 472), with additional effects seen for both hearing aid use and residual hearing disability. There was no relationship between EmpAQ-15 and measures of mental health, social isolation or loneliness, nor demographic variables. Hearing-specific empowerment in adults with hearing loss is predicted by social, emotional, and cognitive measures. Those who wore hearing aids were more empowered than those who did not. Measuring hearing-specific empowerment has potential to provide a holistic patient-centred approach to assessing adults attending audiology clinics.