Effectiveness of a single and a repeated screen for hearing loss in the elderly

The aim of this study was to assess the value of repeated audiometric screens offered to elderly in general practice. In 1991, an audiometric screen was performed on 660 participants, aged 60 years and over, enlisted in one general practice near Rotterdam, the Netherlands. We repeated the audiometric screen 5 years later in 80.2% (405/505) of the eligible participants of the first screen. After the first screen, 24.3% of those who were hearing impaired had discussed this with their general practitioner, 21.5% were referred to a specialist in otolaryngology and 12.1% had been prescribed a hearing aid. The effect of the repeated screen was lower as only 7.3% of the hearing impaired participants received a hearing aid. Efforts to screen on hearing loss will be fruitless and can best be avoided by general practitioners unless strategies are developed to increase the use of hearing aids after a positive screening result.