Help-seeking behaviour of hearing-impaired persons aged > or = 55 years; effect of complaints, significant others and hearing aid image.
OBJECTIVE
To determine factors influencing help-seeking behaviour in hearing-impaired persons aged > or = 55 years


METHODS
The study comprised 1,419 persons (480 females, 939 males) aged > or = 55 years who participated voluntarily in a driving test. Pure-tone audiometry was performed in all subjects. Participants without a hearing aid with an average hearing loss of > or = 30 dB in the better ear for the frequencies 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz were asked how they perceived their hearing by means of a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire provided insight into why some hearing-impaired people seek help from a general practitioner (GP) and others do not. Four factors were examined.


RESULTS
A total of 483/1.419 (34%) participants tested had a hearing loss exceeding 30 dB. Fewer than half of these had visited their GP with complaints of hearing impairment. Of those who had not sought help from a GP, 57% nevertheless judged their hearing as poor. Social pressure exerted by significant others was less in the non-consulters group. Hearing aid image did not differ significantly between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The help-seeking behaviour of hearing-impaired elderly people is related to the degree of hearing disability and the social pressure exerted by significant others as well as the willingness to try hearing aids.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands. j.duijvestijn@ziekenhuis-mst.nl
J A
JA
Duijvestijn
L J C
LJ
Anteunis
C J
CJ
Hoek
R H S
RH
Van Den Brink
M N
MN
Chenault
J J
JJ
Manni
D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires