Older adult performance on the Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired: gender difference.

Gender difference in auditory function with age is well documented. However, little is known about the influence of interacting sensory, psycho-social, and economic variables on adjustment to hearing loss. Adjustment to acquired, mild-to-moderate hearing loss by advantaged older women and men was examined using the Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired (CPHI) (Demorest & Erdman, 1987). Correlational analyses revealed relationships between scales to be similar for women and men. Controlling for socio-demographic and hearing variables, group responses for the majority of CPHI scales did not differ significantly. Six scales differed significantly, and those results are discussed. When compared to men, women assigned greater importance to effective social communication, were more likely to use nonverbal communication strategies, reported greater anger and stress, and reported greater problem awareness and less denial associated with hearing loss. The CPHI is a useful tool for specifying parameters of perceived communication handicap for both older men and women. Findings underscore the need to consider gender-specific self-assessment of communication and personal adjustment in clinical management of older adults with age-related hearing loss.

Hearing loss, control, and demographic factors influencing hearing aid use among older adults.

Preference for non-use of hearing aids among older adults who are candidates for amplification remains to be explained. Clinical studies have examined the contribution of consumer attitudes, behaviors, and life circumstances to this phenomenon. The present study extends the interests of earlier investigators in that it examines psychological control tendencies in combination with hearing loss and demographic variables among older adults who elected to accept (adherents) or ignore (nonadherents) advice from hearing professionals to acquire and use hearing aids. One hundred thirty-one individuals participated by completing measures of hearing, hearing handicap, psychological control, depression, and ego strength. Participants were asked to provide demographic information and personal opinions regarding hearing aid use. Adherence group and gender differences were noted on measures of hearing sensitivity, psychological control, and demographic factors. Female adherents demonstrated greater hearing loss and poorer word recognition ability but less hearing handicap, higher internal locus of control, higher ego strength, and fewer depressive tendencies than female nonadherents. They reported demographic advantages. Female adherents assumed responsibility for effective communication. Although male adherents and nonadherents did not differ significantly demographically, male adherents were more accepting of their hearing loss, took responsibility for communication problems, and found hearing aids less stigmatizing. Implications for clinical practice and future clinical investigations are identified and discussed. Results are expected to be of interest to clinicians, clinical investigators, and health care policymakers.

Personal and social conditions potentially influencing women's hearing loss management.

Little gender-specific data related to hearing loss and hearing loss management are available. The purpose of this investigation was to examine personal and social conditions affecting women at selected stages of the adult life course that may influence hearing loss management. In all, 191 women in three age groups, ranging from 35 to 85 years old, participated. None reported hearing problems. Participants completed a demographic data form and were given a standard audiometric evaluation to confirm age-normal hearing. Each completed assessments of speech understanding in quiet and noise, auditory signal duration discrimination, and binaural processing. Measures of hearing knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes; health-related locus of control; ego strength; and, social support were administered. Results revealed that although some variables deteriorate among subsequent age groups (i.e., hearing thresholds, central auditory processing, and ego strength), the reverse is true for others (i.e., social interaction and satisfaction with income). Age-specific sociodemographic burdens that may interfere with hearing loss management were noted. New psychosocial data are revealed against which women and men with impaired hearing may be compared.

Older adult performance on the communication profile for the hearing impaired.

The Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired (CPHI) (Demorest & Erdman, 1986) is a self-assessment inventory that was developed on a clinical population that included predominantly male, active-duty military personnel. They spanned a 50-year age range (M = 39.5 years) and typically demonstrated bilateral, noise-induced, high-frequency, sensorineural hearing loss. The present study examined CPHI data obtained from approximately equal numbers of advantaged older men and women (M = 75 years) with acquired, mild-moderate, sensorineural hearing loss. Mean, standard deviation, t-test, omega-squared statistics, response frequency distribution, and skewness data are reported. Comparisons of hearing handicap in older adults and generally younger members of the military group are highlighted. Performance differences potentially related to age, personality, lifestyle, and other factors are identified. Results describe the older adult's approach to self-management of hearing loss and associated communication problems. Clinical implications are discussed.

Oil/water and pre-emulsified oil/water (PIT) dispersions in a stirred vessel: Implications for fermentations.

This study examines dispersions of rapeseed oil (RSO) in water by mechanical agitation under conditions mimicking those found in certain antibiotic fermentations; for example, in the presence of air, antifoam, and finely divided CaCO(3) particles. A problem with residual oil has been reported for such fermentations, and it has been suggested that the use of pre-emulsified oil can reduce this problem. Hence, the dispersion of a pre-emulsified oil produced by the "phase inversion temperature (PIT) method" has been evaluated. In both cases, the volume fraction of oil was 2%. For the RSO systems, a relatively high agitation speed was required to disperse the oil, especially in the presence of the particles and, when the agitation was stopped, separation occurred rapidly. The Sauter mean drop diameters depended on the system, being at an average energy dissipation rate of approximately 0.9 W kg(-1), 180 microm for RSO/water, 130 microm for RSO/water(antifoam)/air, 580 microm for RSO/water/CaCO(3), and 850 microm for RSO/water(antifoam)/air/CaCO(3). For the same four systems, the PIT emulsion, once dispersed, was very stable and the drop size was essentially independent of the operating conditions, with a Sauter mean diameter of approximately 0.3 microm. The implications of these findings for fermentations in which oil is used as a carbon source are assessed.