Just How Common is Deafness in Older People ?

The popular perception is that old people are usually deaf. And, in fact, it’s true that many older folk are hard of hearing. But just how common is the problem? When does it start, and does it get worse as you get older? A study reported in the Archives of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery has tried to find answers to these questions.

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What was done

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Residents of Beaver Dam Township in Wisconsin aged 48 to 92 were invited to take part in the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (EHLS). The examinations included otoscopy (examination of the external ear canal and the ear drum), tympanometry (measurement of middle-ear mobility and middle-ear pressure using sound and air pressure), and audiometry (measurement of hearing ability).

Hearing loss was determined using audiometry, with threshold values for perceived intensity (measured in decibels) at various pitches (frequencies). Hearing loss was defined as a loss of 25 decibels or more in either ear. Progression of hearing impairment was defined as a change of more than 5 decibels among those with hearing loss at baseline.

These examinations, made at baseline, were repeated after approximately 5 years.

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What was found

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There were 3753 participants at baseline, aged between 48 and 92. Of these, 1925 had no hearing loss, and were candidates for the determining the frequency of new hearing loss over the five-year period. The remaining 1631 subjects had hearing loss, and were therefore candidates for the other part of the study, determining the likelihood of progression of hearing loss over 5 years.

Some subjects left the study before the second, 5-year exam; the causes were refusal to participate, death, or loss to follow up. This left 1636 subjects with no hearing loss at baseline, and 1085 with hearing loss at baseline.

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The 5-year incidence of hearing impairment was 21%. This means that one in five people aged 48 or older with normal hearing is likely to experience hearing impairment over a five year period. Men were at somewhat greater risk – 31% (almost one in three) vs. 17% (about one in six) for women; the authors of the study speculate that this may be related to differences in noise exposure at work.

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More than half (53%) of those with hearing loss at baseline had progression of their condition over the 5-year period. Progression was similar in men and women. Only 24 (2.4%) of people with hearing impairment at baseline showed improvement over the 5 years.

Age was clearly the most important factor influencing the rates of both hearing loss and deterioration of existing hearing impairment.

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What this means

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This study shows that many older people are likely to experience hearing loss. They represent an important public health problem, and they require appropriate referrals to auditory experts for hearing aids, assisted hearing devices, and even, perhaps, training in listening techniques to improve communications. Statistics suggest that most older adults with hearing loss don’t use hearing aids, possibly because it’s under-diagnosed and under-treated.

A new study has reported on the effect of hearing loss on the quality of life of older people.¹ The severity of hearing loss was found to be linked to the degree of interference with activities of daily living (ADL) and other measures of mental and physical health. This makes it all the more important to have hearing tests incorporated into older people’s regular exams, with follow-up to ensure that the necessary assistance is offered, and utilized.

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Source : www.healthandage.com

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