title: Sex-specific predictors of hearing-aid use in older persons: The age, gene/environment susceptibility - Reykjavik study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We estimate the prevalence of hearing-aid use in Iceland and identify sex-specific factors associated with use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 5172 age, gene/environment susceptibility - Reykjavik study (AGES-RS) participants, aged 67 to 96 years (mean age 76.5 years), who completed air-conduction and pure-tone audiometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hearing-aid use was reported by 23.0% of men and 15.9% of women in the cohort, although among participants with at least moderate hearing loss in the better ear (pure-tone average [PTA] of thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz ≥ 35 dB hearing level [HL]) it was 49.9% and did not differ by sex. Self-reported hearing loss was the strongest predictor of hearing-aid use in men [OR: 2.68 (95% CI: 1.77, 4.08)] and women [OR: 3.07 (95% CI: 1.94, 4.86)], followed by hearing loss severity based on audiometry. Having diabetes or osteoarthritis were significant positive predictors of use in men, whereas greater physical activity and unimpaired cognitive status were important in women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hearing-aid use was comparable in Icelandic men and women with moderate or greater hearing loss. Self-recognition of hearing loss was the factor most predictive of hearing-aid use; other influential factors differed for men and women.
authors: * Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications, Intramural Research Program, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH) , Bethesda, Maryland , USA.
authors: Diana E
authors: DE
authors: Fisher
authors: Chuan-Ming
authors: CM
authors: Li
authors: Howard J
authors: HJ
authors: Hoffman
authors: May S
authors: MS
authors: Chiu
authors: Christa L
authors: CL
authors: Themann
authors: Hannes
authors: H
authors: Petersen
authors: Palmi V
authors: PV
authors: Jonsson
authors: Helgi
authors: H
authors: Jonsson
authors: Fridbert
authors: F
authors: Jonasson
authors: Johanna Eyrun
authors: JE
authors: Sverrisdottir
authors: Lenore J
authors: LJ
authors: Launer
authors: Gudny
authors: G
authors: Eiriksdottir
authors: Vilmundur
authors: V
authors: Gudnason
authors: Mary Frances
authors: MF
authors: Cotch
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D003071:Cognition; D015331:Cohort Studies; D012048:Correction of Hearing Impairment / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000523:psychology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology; D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000523:psychology*; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Age-related hearing loss; hearing aids; hearing impairment; older persons; sex differences