Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41511177›Full record

ArticleJournal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR2026

The Longitudinal Impact of Psychosocial Factors on Cognition and Hearing in Younger and Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Kate Slade, Robert Davies, Charlotte R Pennington, Christopher J Plack, Helen E Nuttall

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Kate SladeLancaster Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-6950-6726
Robert DaviesDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Lancaster University, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-7783-9782
Charlotte R PenningtonSchool of Psychology, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-5259-642X
Christopher J PlackManchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-2987-5332
Helen E NuttallDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Lancaster University, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0001-8497-5603

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeIn March 2020, a unique situation unfolded wherein the U.K. government announced social restriction measures to reduce the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Various measures remained in place until April 2021, with older adults, who were considered clinically vulnerable, being placed under stricter restrictions. This study aimed to determine the effect of psychosocial factors, including loneliness, depression, and engagement in various recreational lifestyle activities, on hearing and cognitive function in younger and older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

methodOne hundred twelve older adults aged 60-82 (

resultsLinear mixed-effects analyses found that, of the variables examined, increased loneliness was significantly associated with poorer auditory function. There were no main effects of time during the pandemic on auditory or cognitive outcomes. However, the interaction between time and age group significantly affected global cognition; in younger adults, global cognition decreased over time, whereas older adults displayed an unexpected positive change.

conclusionsThese data show that there are associations between loneliness and auditory function but provide a lack of support for the impact of time experiencing auditory deprivation, or other psychosocial factors, on hearing and cognitive function. Such observations may be underpinned by motivational differences, learning effects, or sample biases. Future research may wish to investigate these factors further, to determine how psychological factors such as loneliness affect hearing and cognitive processes across diverse participant groups. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.30936590.

Indexed as

CognitionCOVID-19HearingLonelinessAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overDepressionFemaleHumansLife StyleLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedPandemics

Identifiers

PMID41511177
PMCPMC12908232

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.