Hearing assessment in homes for the aged: a comparison of audiometric and self-report methods

A comparison of audiometric and interview methods to identify hearing impaired elderly was made as part of a study of the relationship between hearing impairment and mental disorders of old age. Of 84 residents of a Home for the Aged examined by an Otolaryngologist and tested by an audiologist, reports of hearing status were incongruent in 41% of the cases. Only 36 residents (43% of the sample) were initially judged capable of reliable response to interview. Twenty-two residents (26% of the sample) described hearing problems consistent with the type and degree of loss defined audiometrically. The frequency and clinical significance of hearing loss and the questionable reliability of self-report on hearing argue for inclusion of audiometry in the routine assessment of this population.