Depression, Hearing Loss, and Hearing Aids

Recorded at AAA 2019, Friday, March 2019

Presenter: Victor Bray, MSC PhD

CEUs: 0.1

Instructional Level: Fundamental

Description: There are well-known, but sometimes misunderstood, associations between acquired hearing loss and declining mental health.  Of clinical importance, major depressive disorder can be associated with untreated hearing loss, resulting in problems with communication, interpersonal relationships, lonliness, and social isolation.  However the relationship between depression and hearing loss is complex and audiologists should be aware of several biological, environmental, genetic, and psychosocial factors.  This presentation discusses depression in the audiology patient, along with guidance for screening and management.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe and recognize depression (major depressive disorder) in the audiology patient.
2. Describe how case history information and other heath conditions, including hearing loss, may be producing depressive symptoms.
3. Demonstrate at least one screening tool for the presence of depression (MDD).

Victor Bray, MSC PhD

Victor Bray, MSC, PhD, FNAP is an Associate Professor and former dean at Salus University Osborne College of Audiology. He is involved in professional service as the Secretary / Treasurer of the National Academies of Practice and as a member of the Board of Directors for The Audiology Project. Dr. Bray has been at Salus University since 2009. His prior employment was at Sonic Innovations (1997 - 2008), where he was Vice President and Chief Audiology Officer, at ReSound (1993 - 1997), where he was Director of Clinical Research, and at the Austin Ear Clinic (1988 - 1993) where he was Director of Audiology. He has been published widely on hearing aid technology, hearing aid clinical trials, and hearing aid benefit mesures. His most recent publications are on comorbid chronic diseases and depression.