The impact of hearing loss on quality of life in older adults.
OBJECTIVE
The authors investigate the impact of hearing loss on quality of life in a large population of older adults.


METHODS
Data are from the 5-year follow-up Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study, a population-based longitudinal study of age-related hearing impairment conducted in Beaver Dam, WI. Participants (N = 2,688) were 53-97 years old (mean = 69 years) and 42% were male. Difficulties with communication were assessed by using the Hearing Handicap for the Elderly-Screening version (HHIE-S), with additional questions regarding communication difficulties in specific situations. Health-related quality of life was assessed by using measures of activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental ADLs (IADLs) and the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). Hearing loss measured by audiometry was categorized on the basis of the pure-tone average of hearing thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz.


RESULTS
Of participants, 28% had a mild hearing loss and 24% had a moderate to severe hearing loss. Severity of hearing loss was significantly associated with having a hearing handicap and with self-reported communication difficulties. Individuals with moderate to severe hearing loss were more likely than individuals without hearing loss to have impaired ADLs and IADLs. Severity of hearing loss was significantly associated with decreased function in both the Mental Component Summary score and the Physical Component Summary score of the SF-36 as well as with six of the eight individual domain scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Severity of hearing loss is associated with reduced quality of life in older adults.
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 53726-2336, USA. dalton@epi.ophth.wisc.edu
Dayna S
DS
Dalton
Karen J
KJ
Cruickshanks
Barbara E K
BE
Klein
Ronald
R
Klein
Terry L
TL
Wiley
David M
DM
Nondahl
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001299:Audiometry; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011788:Quality of Life; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology