Objective We estimated the proportion of older United States adults who report hearing aid use among those likely to benefit. In order to more fully understand what factors underlie the low proportion of hearing aid use, we examined a variety of socio-demographic correlates as well as measures of health care access and insurance status in relation to hearing aid use among potential hearing aid candidates. Design The study makes use of cross-sectional data collected from 2005–2006 and 2009–2010 as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The 1,636 adults aged 70 years and older were selected using a complex sampling design and comprise a nationally representative sample. In addition to self-reported hearing aid use, data on pure-tone thresholds, perceived hearing ability, place for routine health care, time since last hearing test, type of insurance coverage, and sociodemographic characteristics including age, gender, race/ethnicity, family size, and income-to-poverty ratio were collected. The analytical sample consisted of 601 adults who had a better-ear pure-tone average of ≥35 dB HL at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz or who reported moderate or worse hearing ability. Results One-third of the potential hearing aid candidates reported current use of hearing aids. We observed a 28 to 66% greater prevalence of hearing aid use among older adults in the upper four-fifths of the income-to-poverty distribution compared to those in the bottom one-fifth. Compared to people who had their hearing tested 5–9 years ago, those with more recent hearing tests were more than 2–3 times as likely to be a current hearing aid user. No differences were observed by age after adjusting for pure-tone average and no differences were observed by gender after adjusting for perceived hearing ability. No differences were observed by place of routine health care or by type of insurance coverage. Conclusions Use of hearing aids is low among older adults who might benefit. Identifying and surmounting barriers to hearing aid use, especially among low income adults, remains an important objective for hearing health care in the United States.

Cognitively intact older adults with hearing loss appeared impaired on auditory-verbal memory assessment under typical administration conditions. Visual assessment of verbal memory showed evidence of superior validity and is a viable alternative method to assess memory function especially in older populations. (PsycINFO Database Record

This case illustrates the phenotypic variability of presentation of CJD in a patient with hearing loss as the initial manifestation. In patients with subacute bilateral hypoacusis and signs of dementia, the differential diagnosis of CJD must be taken into consideration.

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Tinnitus is the conscious experience of sound without an external acoustic source. Many years of research effort have contributed to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying tinnitus, including the neural correlates of tinnitus. Our laboratory has been investigating the modulatory effects of somatosensory and cortical electrical stimulation on the neural correlates of tinnitus in auditory and nonauditory structures. These aspects of tinnitus suppression research are explored in an effort to stimulate further studies and to promote the development of effective strategies in the management of tinnitus through electrical stimulation.Learning Outcomes: As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to (1) explain the rationale for use of electrical stimulation as a means of tinnitus suppression, (2) describe the effects of somatosensory and cortical electrical stimulation on auditory and nonauditory structures, and (3) explain how these effects might relate to suppression of tinnitus.