Doctor-Patient Communication and Sensory Disabilities among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Findings from NHATS

Older adults with communication disabilities (CDs) face challenges across various environments, with the most pronounced difficulties occurring in healthcare settings. Although CDs are common, limited research has examined the medical and socioeconomic factors contributing to these difficulties in patient-centered contexts. This study investigates the interplay between communication experiences and associated risk factors among older adults in healthcare settings.

We analyzed data (N = 3,725) from Rounds 1 (2011) to 12 (2022) of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). After data cleaning and integration, we applied both binary logistic regression and weighted models to account for population-level adjustments and to identify key covariates associated with communication difficulties.

Among 3,725 participants, health-related concerns (OR = 11.06, 95% CI: 7.81-15.65) were strongly associated with communication difficulties in clinical settings. Hearing loss (OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.05-2.10) and lower educational attainment (less than high school) (OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.23-2.06) were also significant predictors.

These findings suggest that underlying health conditions play a substantial role in communication difficulties among older adults in healthcare environments. This highlights the need for targeted support strategies and improved physician-patient communication. Future research should focus on developing interventions that enhance communication and strengthen clinical relationships for patients with communication disabilities.