Quality of life in older Chinese-speaking adults with hearing impairment

Abstract

Purpose: General and hearing-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was examined in elderly Chinese with hearing impairment. Methods: Sixty-four Chinese speakers aged ≥65 years and did not use hearing aids were evaluated using Chinese versions of the Short-Form 36 health survey (SF-36) and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (Screening Version) (HHIE-S). Results on the SF-36 were compared to norms obtained in a general elderly Chinese population. The relationships between HRQoL and degree of hearing impairment, and between SF-36 and HHIE-S were also evaluated. Results: Elderly Chinese speakers with hearing impairment rated six of the eight scales of the SF-36 poorer, compared to a general elderly Chinese population. When average hearing impairment in the better ear exceeded 40 dB HL, SF-36 ratings were poorer than those with better hearing. Poorer better ear hearing was significantly related to poorer ratings on the Vitality scale of the SF-36 and the three scales of the HHIE-S, after controlling for age, gender and number of coexisting chronic health problems. Ratings on SF-36 and HHIE-S did not correlate. Conclusion: Elderly Chinese who are hearing impaired experienced poorer general and hearing-specific HRQoL, and HRQoL is reduced further among those with greater hearing impairment.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Hearing impairment adversely affects communication and is associated with social isolation.

• Older Chinese with hearing impairment report poorer physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, vitality, social functioning, role limitations due to emotional problems and general mental health than the general population.

• Degree of hearing impairment seems to exhibit lesser differential effects on self-reported quality of life among older Chinese, compared to those reported in Western societies.

• Treatment to improve communication should be evaluated for its impact on disease-specific and health-related quality of life.

Keywords::

• Chinese
• health-related quality of life
• hearing impairment

Acknowledgements

We are indebted to the staff at the audiology departments of the Queen Mary Hospital and the United Christian Hospital for supporting data collection of this research in their hospitals. We would also like to thank all the elderly cents that have kindly assisted in arranging the hearing screenings in their cents. Parts of this paper constituted an MSc dissertation submitted to the University of Hong Kong by the second author.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflict of interest.