Association between self-reported hearing impairment, use of a hearing aid and performance of instrumental activities of daily living

•Hearing loss is a prevalent condition in older adults. It affects about one-third of the population and is associated with both cognitive and functional decline.•Hearing loss has been related to poor scores regarding instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), nonetheless, impairment of IADLs related to hearing loss might potentially be reduced.•Our results suggest that the use of hearing aids might be associated with better execution of IADLs. Age-related hearing loss is a prevalent condition among the growing elderly population, which has been associated with both cognitive decline and decreased daily functioning. Decreased functioning is linked to lower performance, predominantly regarding instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). The present study aims to explore the association between hearing loss and impairment in IADLs. This is a secondary analysis of The Health, Well-Being, and Aging Colombia study, performed in 2015. Participants were classified into three groups: 1) without hearing loss, 2) hearing loss corrected through the use of a hearing aid, and 3) hearing loss without a hearing aid. Bivariate and adjusted multivariate analyses were performed. The measured outcome was IADLs. Information from a total of 23,694 community-dwelling Colombian older adults (age ≥ 60 years) was used. The prevalence of hearing impairment was 23.4%, 1.8% out of those reported the use of hearing aids. Independent associations were found for having impaired IADLs when comparing participants with hearing loss without a hearing aid and those with normal hearing. However, there was no statistical significance with respect to IADLs when comparing hearing loss corrected by hearing aids versus participants with normal hearing. Participants using hearing aids have better functioning evaluated by IADLs when compared with participants with hearing impairment and no hearing aids. This study evidences a positive association between hearing impairment and performance in the IADLs. This association is not significant in older adults using hearing aids