title: Self-reported hearing loss in baby boomers from the Busselton Healthy Ageing Study: audiometric correspondence and predictive value.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The baby boomer population will become high users of the health-care system in coming years. Self-report of hearing loss at a primary health-care visit may offer timely referrals to audiological services, but there has been no population-based study of self-reported hearing loss in the baby boomer generation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the clinical value and audiometric correspondence of self-reported hearing loss as a screening tool for the baby boomer population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based study, Busselton Healthy Ageing Study (BHAS), surveying baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 from the shire of Busselton, Western Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized sample of noninstitutionalized baby-boomers listed on the electoral roll (n = 6690) and resident in the shire are eligible to participate. This study reports on data from the first 1004 attendees (53.5% female) with a mean age of 56.23 (SD = 5.43).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from a self-report question on hearing loss and diagnostic pure tone audiometry was utilized for this study. Analysis included screening performance measures of self-report compared to audiometric cut-offs, receiver operator curve (ROC) to determine optimal level, analysis of variance to compare hearing status to self-report, and binary logistic regression to determine best audiometric predictors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the sample, 16% self-reported hearing loss (72.1% males). Logistic regression indicated 4000 Hz as the most important individual frequency related to self-report while the four-frequency average (500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz) >25 dB in the worse ear was the most significant averaged cutoff with 68% sensitivity and 87% specificity. Of those who self-reported a hearing loss, 80% had either a four-frequency average hearing loss >25 dB in the worse ear or a high-frequency average (4000 and 8000 Hz) hearing loss greater than 35 dB in the worse ear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Baby boomer adults who self-report hearing impairment on direct inquiry are most likely to have a hearing loss. A simple question at a primary health care visit may facilitate a timely referral for audiological services in a baby boomer adult, who may be more amenable to rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Pathology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. dewet.swanepoel@up.ac.za
authors.forename: De Wet
authors.initials: de W
authors.lastname: Swanepoel
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Eikelboom
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Peter L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Friedland
authors.forename: Marcus D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Atlas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003625:Data Collection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012372:ROC Curve; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057566:Self Report; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology