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Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the impact of hearing impairment on the quality of life of Australian older people. Relationships between (a) hearing impairment and hearing disability/handicap, (b) hearing impairment and health-related quality of life, and (c) hearing disability/handicap and health-related quality of life were examined. Ninety-three community-based subjects were assessed using pure-tone audiometry as a measure of impairment. A disease-specific questionnaire, the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE), provided a measure of hearing disability/handicap. A generic questionnaire, the Short-Form 36 (SF-36), provided a measure of health-related quality of life. Results indicated a moderately significant relationship between hearing impairment and hearing disability/handicap. In particular, individuals reported the disabling, rather than the handicapping effects of hearing impairment on the HHIE. A significant relationship was also found between hearing impairment and the mental health subscale of the SF-36. Finally, significant relationships were demonstrated between hearing disability/handicap and three quality of life domains on the SF-36: mental health, bodily pain, and physical functioning. All relationships existed independently of age. The findings are interpreted in relation to practical implications for the health care of older persons.