title: Diagnostic performance of the hearing handicap inventory for the elderly (screening version) against differing definitions of hearing loss.
abstract: The diagnostic performance of the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly--Screening Version (HHIE-S) was evaluated against five definitions of hearing loss in 178 elderly subjects screened in primary care. Hearing loss was assessed by pure-tone audiometry. Using a score of greater than 8 as a cut point, the HHIE-S had sensitivities ranging from 53 to 72% and specificities ranging from 70 to 84% with the different definitions. The HHIE-S receiver-operating characteristics and likelihood ratios were similar regardless of hearing loss definition used. The HHIE-S is a valid, robust test for identifying hearing-impaired elderly, irrespective of the audiometric definition used to finally diagnose hearing difficulties.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lichtenstein
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Bess
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Logan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D005260:Female; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011581:Psychological Tests / Q000379:methods*