A research study looked at the effect of multi-tasking on young adults with hearing aids (HA).

Subjects had to maintain balance under single-task (ST) and dual-task (DT) conditions.

In the DT condition, there was a visual cognitive task (Backward Digit Recall) while standing on a force plate. (A force plate is an instrument that detects and measures forces exerted onto the ground during movement.)

The results showed that scores of HA users decreased significantly in the DT compared to the ST.

Compared to young adults with normal hearing, hearing aid users’ scores were lower in the DT.

This suggests that the presence of a visual cognitive additional task has a negative impact on balance in young adults with hearing aids.

These findings highlight the importance of considering the impact of cognitive tasks on balance performance in young adults with hearing aids.

Further studies should investigate the specific needs of hearing loss patients in multitasking conditions, including age, degree of hearing loss, and cognitive ability, to develop effective interventions to reduce the risk of falls.

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