Comparing Criteria of Hearing Impairment in the Elderly

Abstract

We determined and compared the associations of four commonly used audiometric criteria of hearing impairment with two functional outcome measures in 152 aged persons screened in primary care medicine practices. The outcome measures were the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP, a measure of global function), and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening Version (HHIE-S, a communication-specific measure of functional impairment). There were five main findings. (1) The four criteria of hearing loss were not independent. (2) The criterion of loss chosen depends on the functional measure of impairment. (3) Functional hearing impairment may also be classified by the number of criteria met. (4) A large subset (21%) of aged persons met one criterion but had little in the way of communicative or global dysfunction. (5) Hearing handicap as measured by the HHIE-S was directly associated with global dysfunction as measured by the SIP.

Functional assessment of communication: Merging public policy with clinical views

“…Other writers contend that an assessment of impairment does not coincide with an assessment of disability (Sarno 1965(Sarno , 1983Aten 1986;Bess et al 1989). In fact, an inverse relationship between the findings of language impairment and communication disability assessment has been found.…”

Does Absence of Hearing Ability Enhance Visual Vigilance? It Depends on Task Complexity

“…It has been shown that hearing disability is associated with social isolation, cognitive dysfunction, loss of independence, and a loss of overall quality of life (Mulrow et al 1990;Cacciatore et al 1999;Bess et al 1991;Bess et al 1989). Tharpe et al (2002) offered a perspective on individuals with hearing impairment similar to that of Myklebust (1964) assuming that interaction and integration of input from the various senses are normal aspects of the development process, it is expected that impairment of one sensory system influences the organization and functioning of the remaining senses.…”

Hearing aids for nursing home residents: Current policy and future needs

“…Several studies investigating hearing impaired individuals have identified higher prevalence rates of depression [7][8][9][10]. Even in people who had only a mild hearing impairment, hearing loss has been found to be the cause of an increased dysfunction in social interaction and emotional functioning [11][12][13][14], and a recent study has associated hearing loss with a reduced quality of life [15]. Hearing impairment has also been associated with functional disability.…”