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Updated: May 10, 2026
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Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Tool kit for screening otologic function of older adults1.
1The Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, NY, USA. bweinstein@gc.cuny.edu
American Journal of Audiology
|June 27, 2013
Summary
A new hearing health tool kit, including the Screening for Otologic Functional Impairments (SOFI) tool, can identify older adults needing audiology care. This supports better quality of life and independence for those with hearing loss.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Audiology
- Primary Care
Background:
- Older adults with multimorbidity are at risk for hearing deficits.
- Targeted audiology interventions can improve function, safety, and social connection in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a primary care hearing health toolkit.
- To introduce the Screening for Otologic Functional Impairments (SOFI) tool for identifying hearing-related functional deficits.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-nine older adults with hearing impairment participated.
- Participants underwent hearing tests and completed self-report tools, including the SOFI twice.
Main Results:
- The SOFI tool demonstrated high reliability and validity.
- The SOFI has potential for identifying older adults needing audiology intervention.
Conclusions:
- The toolkit aims to identify at-risk older adults in primary care settings.
- Early identification and treatment of otologic conditions can enhance quality of care and life.
