The association between age-related hearing loss (ARHL) and physical or cognitive frailty has been poorly explored.

These associations could define new perspectives for delaying frailty-related processes in older age.

We examine whether peripheral ARHL and age-related central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) are independently associated with physical or cognitive frailty.

This cross-sectional study analyzed registry data from December 31, 2014, on 1929 older (≥65 years) participants of the Salus in Apulia Study (Southern Italy) who underwent audiologic, physical, and neuropsychological assessment. Data analysis was performed from December 12, 2019, to January 4, 2020.

Prevalence of peripheral ARHL in older individuals with physical and/or cognitive frailty and those without frailty assessed using the Fried criteria (physical) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (cognitive).

Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess associations of audiologic variables with frailty phenotype.