Hearing loss in community-dwelling older persons: national prevalence data and identification using simple questions.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of hearing loss among community-dwelling older persons according to clinical criteria and to develop a brief self-report screening instrument to detect hearing loss.


METHODS
Survey.


METHODS
National probability sample of noninstitutionalized older persons.


METHODS
A total of 2506 persons aged 55 to 74 who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.


METHODS
Hearing loss as defined by Ventry and Weinstein (VW) criteria and by the High Frequency Pure-Tone Average (HFPTA) scale.


RESULTS
Hearing loss by VW criteria was present in 14.2% and by HFPTA criteria in 35.1% of those surveyed. The prevalence increased with advancing age and was higher among men and those with less education. A logistic regression model identified six independent factors for hearing loss by VW criteria: age > or = 70 years (adjusted odds-ratio (AOR) 2.7, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.6, 4.4), male gender (AOR 3.0, 95% CI 1.9, 4.8), < or = 12th grade education (AOR 3.8, 95% CI 1.8, 7.7), having seen a doctor for deafness or hearing loss (AOR 8.9, 95% CI 5.3, 14.9), unable to hear a whisper across a room (AOR 3.2, 95% CI 2.0, 5.1), and unable to hear a normal voice across a room (AOR 6.2, 95% CI 2.6, 14.9). A clinical scale based on the logistic model had 80% sensitivity and 80% specificity in predicting hearing loss using VW criteria and 59% sensitivity and 88% specificity in predicting hearing loss using HFPTA criteria.


CONCLUSIONS
Hearing loss, as defined by two clinical criteria, is common and can be screened for accurately using simple questions that assess sociodemographic and hearing-related characteristics.
Multicampus Program in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1687, USA.
D B
DB
Reuben
K
K
Walsh
A A
AA
Moore
M
M
Damesyn
G A
GA
Greendale
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology