Hearing loss in over-65s: is routine questionnaire screening worthwhile?

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Audiology
• Primary Care Medicine

Background:

• Significant unmet need exists for hearing loss management in the elderly.
• General practice currently lacks routine screening for hearing impairment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of questionnaire screening for hearing loss in adults over 65 in primary care.
• To determine if identified patients benefit from hearing aid fitting.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 234 individuals aged 65-74 completed the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly Screening test.
• Patients with undiagnosed hearing handicap were offered examination and hearing aid referral.
• Outcomes were assessed six months post-fitting, evaluating aid usage and persistent handicap.

Main Results:

• Twenty-five percent of the sample reported a previously undiagnosed hearing handicap.
• Seventy-nine percent of those fitted with hearing aids reported a reduction in hearing handicap after six months.
• Overall hearing aid usage in the sample increased from 9% to 20%.

Conclusions:

• Routine questionnaire screening is a feasible and valuable tool in general practice for identifying hearing loss in the elderly.
• Hearing aid intervention following screening significantly reduces reported hearing handicap.