Hearing health care services for elderly patients attending an outpatient geriatric day clinic : a feasibility study

Abstract

This study was designed to help determine the potential usefulness of integrating hearing health care services with outpatient geriatric day clinic services for elderly patients. It aims to find: (1) the proportion of elderly persons attending a representative hospital geriatric day clinic who have hearing loss; (2) the proportion of this elderly patient group who have been previously assessed for hearing disorder; and (3) the attitudes of this elderly patient group towards hearing loss and hearing aids. A total of 80 elderly patients were recruited from the outpatient Geriatric Day Clinic at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) over a one-month period. A questionnaire was administered, followed by an otoscopic examination and audiometric testing. Seventy-eight elderly patients were used for analysis and the result of this present study revealed that 70 elderly patients (90%) had hearing impairment which was correlated (p<0.00) with age. Fifty-one patients had hearing loss of moderate or greater degree. Only 10% of hearing impaired elderly patient group had been previously assessed for hearing disorder and prescribed with hearing aids. About 54% of the elderly patients had self-perceived hearing impairment and 77% of all the elderly patients were prepared to accept hearing aid provision if recommended. Most of the elderly patients did not know how to access hearing health care service. Therefore, an integrated hearing screening service is potentially desirable and beneficial so that appropriate intervention—for example, hearing aid provision—can be developed.