Self-Reported Hearing Handicap and Audiometric Measures in Older Adults

Terry L. Wiley; Karen J. Cruickshanks; David M. Nondahl; Ted S. Tweed

doi:10.1055/s-0042-1748012

Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, Table of Contents

J Am Acad Audiol 2000; 11(02): 67-75
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1748012

Original Article

Self-Reported Hearing Handicap and Audiometric Measures in Older Adults

Terry L. Wiley

Department of Communicative Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

,

Karen J. Cruickshanks

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

,

David M. Nondahl

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

,

Ted S. Tweed

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

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Abstract

As part of an epidemiologic study of hearing disorders in older adults, audiometric thresholds (250–20,000 Hz), word recognition performance (Northwestern University Auditory Test No. 6 word lists in quiet and in competing message), and Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening (HHIE-S) scores were evaluated for 3178 adults ranging in age from 48 to 92 years. Overall, higher HHIE-S scores were more prevalent for older age groups and for greater degrees of hearing loss. After adjusting for the degree of hearing loss, the probability of reporting a hearing disability (handicap) decreased with age.

Abbreviations: ANSI = American National Standards Institute, HHIE = Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly, HHIE-S = Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening, NU-6 = Northwestern University Auditory Test No. 6, PTA = pure-tone average

Key Words

Aging - hearing disability - Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening - hearing impairment - presbyacusis

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References

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