Hearing in patients in a department for long-term medicine. A further report

Audiological screening was performed in 164 patients, aged 32-89 (median 71) years, in a department for long-term medical treatment. 45% of the patients had a hearing loss exceeding 30 dB HL in the frequency range 500-2 000 Hz (pure-tone average, PTA). The aetiology of the hearing loss was in most cases presbycusis, as the pure-tone thresholds were closely related to the age of the patients. The speech discrimination score for the better ear was impaired (less than 90%) in about 50% of the patients. Nevertheless, only 15% of the patients felt they had a significant hearing handicap. On average, these patients had a hearing loss exceeding 50 dB HL (PTA). The nursing staff estimated about two-thirds of the patients as having normal hearing and only 6% of the patients as having a severe hearing loss. The otologists also underestimated the number of patients with audiometrically impaired hearing. 11% of the patients had a hearing aid, but in nearly half of the patients, the function of the device was defective, either due to flat batteries, incorrect mounting or similar minor defects. A positive effect was observed subsequent to annual 2-hour courses for nurses, focusing on problems in communication with elderly people and on assisting patients who use a hearing aid.