Triagem auditiva em idosos: comparação entre auto-relato e audiometria

Abstract

Despi te its high prevalence in the aged, hearing loss has been poorly investigated. Audiometry is the gold standard for evaluation of hearing loss, but large-scale use of the procedure involves operational difficulties. Thus, self-report may be an alternative. Aim: To determine if a single global question is valid for use in epidemiologic research. Study design: Systematic review. Material and method: A search of the medical literature from 1990 to 2004 was performed using MEDLINE and LILACS. The references of the articles identified in the electronic search were also reviewed. Study Selection and Data Extraction: The articles that compared the results obtained with self-report to a single global question with those obtained by pure tone audiometry were selected. Data about the prevalence of hearing loss, and sensitivity, specificity and predictive values were extracted. Data Synthesis: Ten longitudinal studies were included. A single global question seems to be an acceptable indicator of hearing loss, sensitive and reasonably specific, mainly if the hearing loss is identified as the tone average that includes frequencies up to 2 or 4 kHz, at 40 dBHL level, in the best ear. Conclusion: A single global question shows good performance in identifying older persons with hearing loss and can be recommended for an epidemiologic study if audiometric measurements cannot be performed.

Prevalência de deficiência auditiva referida e fatores associados em uma população de idosos da cidade de Manaus: um estudo de base populacional

“…The assessment of hearing loss through self reference is susceptible to the elderly perception for the presence of this deficit, which involves issues such as life experience, culture, education, the context in which it is inserted, in addition to the specific characteristics of presbycusis. On the other hand, the validity of this type of hearing assessment has been widely investigated, and the findings reveal good performance and high sensitivity in identifying hearing loss [20][21][22][23] . Ferrite, Santana and Marshall 24 checked the validity of three generic questions to assess self-reported hearing loss.…”

Auto-avaliação da audição em idosos

“…Apesar da alta prevalência de déficit auditivo em indivíduos idosos, este é um problema pouco investigado durante as avaliações médicas neste grupo etário e, aponta-se a triagem auditiva como uma ferramenta útil na identificação da perda auditiva em atenção primária da saúde, por tratar-se de um problema de início insidioso, do qual os pacientes, muitas das vezes, não têm consciência 19 . O teste considerado padrão na realização de avaliações auditivas em populações adultas é a audiometria, exame que necessita de profissional treinado, equipamento especializado e local com isolamento acústico (sala com tratamento acústico e cabine audiométrica).…”

“…Considera-se que, no campo das pesquisas, os inquéritos de avaliação auditiva, além de rastrearem a perda auditiva, podem fornecer pistas sobre tendências temporais na prevalência das perdas auditivas e identificar áreas geográficas e subgrupos de populações sob risco (segundo gênero, raça, etnia) 19 , tornando-se útil a auto-avaliação da audição do idoso como forma de avaliar também as dimensões subjetivas da perda auditiva que não aparecem no audiograma.…”

Caracterização da saúde de idosos numa perspectiva fonoaudiológica

“…Among the 343 seniors of a population survey in Londrina (Paraná, a southern Brazilian state), there was a prevalence of hearing loss or lowering frequencies at 87.7% 23 . We consider hearing self-assessment a possibly useful hearing health indicator, and we do recommend its use in epidemiological studies in case audiometry -taken as a golden standard test 24 -is impracticable. In another survey conducted among 35 elders, who participated in cultural projects at a university in Juiz de Fora (Minas Gerais, a southeastern Brazilian state), there was a prevalence of hearing problems in the sample at 31.4%.…”