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Fulltext Hearing impairment in the elderly

Loh KY, Elango S

Med J Malaysia, 2005 Oct;60(4):526-9; quiz 530.

Hearing impairment is one of the most important health problems of the elderly above 60. Very often it leads to verbal communication difficulty and without treatment it can cause serious psychological and social complications such as depression and social isolation. Prebyscusis remains a leading cause of sensorineural deafness in the elderly. Elderly patient must be encouraged to seek proper hearing assessment if they face hearing difficulty. Active screening by health care workers and patient self-evaluation by answering a simple list of screening questions are possible for early detection and treatment of hearing loss in the elderly. Although hearing loss in the elderly may not have a cure, early rehabilitation helps to restore better quality of life if the problem is detected early.

Matched MeSH terms: Hearing Loss/psychology

Editorial: Bridging the gap between animal and human studies of hearing

Hall DA, Plack CJ

Hear Res, 2019 10;382:107778.

PMID: 31470340 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2019.107778

Matched MeSH terms: Hearing Loss/psychology

Gender differences in coping skills of parents with hearing-impaired children

Md Daud MK, Noor SS, Yusoff MN, Abd Rahman N, Zakaria MN

B-ENT, 2013;9(4):319-23.

PMID: 24597108

To assess differences between the coping strategies of the mothers and fathers with hearing-impaired children.

Matched MeSH terms: Hearing Loss/psychology*

The impact of sensory impairment on cognitive performance, quality of life, depression, and loneliness in older adults

Harithasan D, Mukari SZS, Ishak WS, Shahar S, Yeong WL

Int J Geriatr Psychiatry, 2020 04;35(4):358-364.

PMID: 31736109 DOI: 10.1002/gps.5237

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between sensory impairment (hearing loss only, vision loss only, and dual sensory impairment [DSI]) and depression, loneliness, quality of life, and cognitive performance in older adults.

METHODS: A total of 229 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years or older participated in this study. Variables were measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), Revised University of California at Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (R-UCLA), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).

RESULTS: There was an independent association between DSI and quality of life (P < .05) and between DSI and hearing loss alone and cognitive function (P < .05) in older adults. In addition, higher education was associated with better quality of life and cognitive function.

CONCLUSIONS: DSI is a significant factor affecting the quality of life and cognitive function in older adults. Sociodemographic factors such as education play an important role in improving quality of life and cognitive function. Thus, increasing the awareness of this disability is important to ensure that older adults receive the necessary support services and rehabilitation to improve their level of independence.

Matched MeSH terms: Hearing Loss/psychology

Factors influencing degree of hearing loss at presentation, hearing aid choice, and usage in first time hearing aid users in Singapore

Ho EC, Ong WMW, Li K, Zhang H, Bei YTE, Medapati SVR, et al.

Int J Audiol, 2018 10;57(10):776-783.

PMID: 29957077 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2018.1476781

OBJECTIVE: To examine the factors associated with late presentation at first hearing aid (HA) fitting, HA choice and usage among users in Singapore.

DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

STUDY SAMPLE: 1068 subjects issued with HAs at a tertiary hospital from 2001 to 2013.

RESULTS: Half of the subjects presented with more severe (>55 dB) hearing loss (HL) in their better ear. In multivariable analysis, older age, Malay ethnicity, conductive and mixed HL, and combination type of HL were associated with more severe HL at first presentation. Over 70% of subjects were older than 65 years. Worse pure tone audiometry (PTA) thresholds of the better ear, gradual onset and sensorineural HL were associated with older age presentation. For unilaterally fitted subjects, PTA thresholds were the only determinant of having the better ear aided. Better PTA thresholds, younger age and sensorineural HL were associated with choosing in ear compared to behind the ear HAs. Younger age and worse PTA of the better ear were associated with ≥4 h of daily HA usage.

CONCLUSIONS: Age, ethnicity and type of HL were important determinants for more severe HL at first HA fitting. Older patients and those with better hearing were less likely to use their HAs regularly.

Matched MeSH terms: Hearing Loss/psychology

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