title: Hearing Loss Health Care for Older Adults.
abstract: Hearing deficits are highly prevalent among older adults and are associated with declines in cognitive, physical, and mental health. However, hearing loss in the geriatric population often goes untreated and generally receives little clinical emphasis in primary care practice. This article reviews hearing health care for older adults, focusing on what is most relevant for family physicians. The objective of hearing loss treatment is to ensure that a patient can communicate effectively in all settings. We present the 5 major obstacles to obtaining effective hearing and rehabilitative care: awareness, access, treatment options, cost, and device effectiveness. Hearing technologies are discussed, along with recommendations on when it is appropriate to screen, refer, or counsel a patient. The purpose of this article is to provide pragmatic recommendations for the clinical management of the older adult with hearing loss that can be conducted in family medicine practices.
authors.affiliation: From the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (KJC); the Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California, San Francisco (MIW); the John A. Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence, San Francisco, CA (MIW); the Center on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD (SKM); the Department of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (ESO); and the Departments of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Geriatric Medicine, Mental Health, and Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (FRL).
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Contrera
authors.affiliation: From the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (KJC); the Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California, San Francisco (MIW); the John A. Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence, San Francisco, CA (MIW); the Center on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD (SKM); the Department of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (ESO); and the Departments of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Geriatric Medicine, Mental Health, and Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (FRL).
authors.forename: Margaret I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Wallhagen
authors.affiliation: From the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (KJC); the Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California, San Francisco (MIW); the John A. Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence, San Francisco, CA (MIW); the Center on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD (SKM); the Department of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (ESO); and the Departments of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Geriatric Medicine, Mental Health, and Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (FRL).
authors.forename: Sara K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mamo
authors.affiliation: From the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (KJC); the Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California, San Francisco (MIW); the John A. Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence, San Francisco, CA (MIW); the Center on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD (SKM); the Department of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (ESO); and the Departments of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Geriatric Medicine, Mental Health, and Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (FRL).
authors.forename: Esther S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: From the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (KJC); the Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California, San Francisco (MIW); the John A. Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence, San Francisco, CA (MIW); the Center on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD (SKM); the Department of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (ESO); and the Departments of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Geriatric Medicine, Mental Health, and Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (FRL). flin1@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Frank R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000072018:Audiologists; D005194:Family Practice / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D005102:Health Expenditures; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D000072220:Otolaryngologists; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Access to Health Care; Clinical Medicine; Cost-Effectiveness; Hearing Loss; Otolaryngology