Determinants of hearing aid acquisition in older adults

M.E. Fischer, K.J. Cruickshanks, T.L. Wiley, B.E.K. Klein, R. Klein and T.S. Tweed

American Journal of Public Health, 2011, vol. 101, issue 8, 1449-1455

Abstract: Objectives: We determined factors associated with hearing aid acquisition in older adults. Methods: We conducted a population-based, prospective study that used information from 3 examinations performed on study participants as part of the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (1993-2005). We included participants (n=718; mean age=70.5 years) who exhibited hearing loss at baseline or the first follow-up and had no prior history of hearing aid use. We defined hearing loss as a pure tone threshold average (PTA) at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kilohertz in the better ear of greater than 25 decibels Hearing Level. Results: The 10-year cumulative incidence of hearing aid acquisition was 35.7%. Associated factors included education (college graduate vs all others: hazard ratio [HR]=2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.5, 4.1), self-perception of hearing (poor vs good or better: HR=2.5; 95% CI=1.3, 5.0), score on a perceived hearing handicap inventory (+1 difference: HR=1.1; 95% CI=1.0, 1.1), and PTA (+5 dB difference: HR=1.4; 95% CI=1.2, 1.6).

Date: 2011
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2010.300078_9

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2010.300078

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