Opportunistic hearing screening in elderly inpatients.
SAGE Open Med
; 2: 2050312114528171, 2014.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-26770718
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the prevalence of occult hearing loss in elderly inpatients, to evaluate feasibility of opportunistic hearing screening and to determine subsequent provision of hearing aids. MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
Subjects (>65 years) were recruited from five elderly care wards. Hearing loss was detected by a ward-based hearing screen comprising patient-reported assessment of hearing disability and a whisper test. Subjects failing the whisper test or reporting hearing difficulties were offered formal audiological assessment.RESULTS:
Screening was performed on 51 patients aged between 70 and 95 years. Of the patients, 21 (41%) reported hearing loss and 16 (31%) failed the whisper test. A total of 37 patients (73%) were referred for audiological assessment with 17 (33%) found to have aidable hearing loss and 11 were fitted with hearing aids (22%).DISCUSSION:
This study highlights the high prevalence of occult hearing loss in elderly inpatients. Easy two-step screening can accurately identify patients with undiagnosed deafness resulting in significant proportions receiving hearing aids. KEY SENTENCES Approximately 14% of the elderly population use hearing aids despite a reported prevalence of deafness in up to 55%.The use of hearing aids is associated with an improvement in physical, emotional, mental and social well-being.An easy screening test for hearing loss consists of patient-reported hearing loss and a whisper test.Opportunistic screening of elderly inpatients resulted in referral of 73% of screened patients for formal audiology.Of the screened patients, 22% were provided with hearing aids.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
/
Screening_studies
Idioma:
En
Revista:
SAGE Open Med
Ano de publicação:
2014
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Reino Unido