Journal Article

Determinants of Hearing Aid Acquisition in Older Adults

Cruickshanks, Karen J., Klein, Barbara E. K., Klein, Ronald, Fischer, Mary E., Tweed, Ted S., Wiley, Terry L.

2011

Overview

Objectives. We determined factors associated with hearing aid acquisition in older adults. Methods. We conducted a population-based, prospective study that used information from 3 examinations performed on study participants as part of the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (1993–2005). We included participants (n = 718; mean age = 70.5 years) who exhibited hearing loss at baseline or the first follow-up and had no prior history of hearing aid use. We defined hearing loss as a pure tone threshold average (PTA) at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kilohertz in the better ear of greater than 25 decibels Hearing Level. Results. The 10-year cumulative incidence of hearing aid acquisition was 35.7%. Associated factors included education (college graduate vs all others: hazard ratio [HR] = 2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.5, 4.1), self-perception of hearing (poor vs good or better: HR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.3, 5.0), score on a perceived hearing handicap inventory (+ 1 difference: HR = 1.1; 95% CI = 1.0, 1.1), and PTA (+ 5 dB difference: HR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.2, 1.6). Conclusions. The low rate of hearing aid ownership among older adults is a problem that still needs to be addressed.

• Publisher: American Public Health Association
• Subject: Acquisition / Adult / Adults / Aged / Aged, 80 and over / Aging / Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Auditory Threshold / Auditory thresholds / Biological and medical sciences / Cognition & reasoning / College graduates / Deafness / Diagnostic Self Evaluation / Diseases of the ear / Ears & hearing / Education / Educational Status / Ent and stomatology / Epidemiology / Female / General aspects / Hearing / Hearing Aids / Hearing loss / Hearing Loss - physiopathology / Hearing Loss - rehabilitation / Humans / Investigations / Longitudinal studies / Male / Medical sciences / Middle Aged / Miscellaneous / Older people / Ownership / Parent-teacher associations / Perceptions / Population / Population-based studies / Public health / Public health. Hygiene / Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine / Quality of life / Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects) / Research and Practice / Self concept / Self image / Self report / Studies