Effectiveness of Telepsychiatry Among Geriatric Participants with Age-Related Hearing Loss

Presbycusis (hearing loss that occurs with age) affects 30% of adults aged 65 to 74, yet hearing loss is rarely considered when developing novel treatment deliveries. For example, research shows that telepsychiatry improves depression symptoms among geriatric patients similarly to traditional forms of therapy, however, there is no literature on effectiveness of telepsychiatry in geriatrics with presbycusis. The objective of this study is to assess whether, compared to face-to-face psychotherapy, telepsychiatry produces superior outcomes assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory II, among depressed geriatric patients suffering from presbycusis. We will conduct a randomized controlled trial among elderly individuals with depressive disorders and presbycusis who will be randomly allocated to 8 weekly, 60-minute manual sessions of Behavioral Activation Therapy for Depression either in the clinic or in the participants’ home, using telepsychiatry. This study will help guide future therapies directed towards the growing geriatric population, many of whom suffer from presbycusis