Sensory impairments and mortality in an elderly community population: a six-year follow-up study

Previous studies have shown that sensory impairments adversely affect the quality of life of elderly people, but have failed to demonstrate consistent results on mortality. We examined the predictive value of hearing and visual impairments on mortality in an urban population of 1140 non-institutionalized elderly subjects, aged 70-75 years. Baseline information was collected in 1986 through a door-to-door interview with a standardized questionnaire and the sensory assessment was performed using bedside tasks: the whispered voice test for hearing and the Snellen chart for vision. Overall mortality rate at 6 years was 25.5%, with a significant sex difference (males = 37.5%; females = 19.8%) and a significant interaction between sex and sensory impairment. Bivariate logistic regression showed that hearing deficit was associated with a significant increase in mortality risk only in the men. This increase remained significant even after control for the demographic variables and the global physical health status. Multivariate logistic regression showed that the effect of hearing deficit on mortality was mediated by psychosocial parameters (mood and social relationships level). Sensory assessment through simple bedside tests should become part of the routine clinical evaluation of elderly people.