Sensory impairments in community health care: a descriptive study of hearing and vision among elderly Norwegians living at home

Figures & data

Table 1 Instruments and measured variables

Instrument	Measured variables	Comments
HEINE Mini 3000^® Otoscope	Earwax and eardrum
Sennheiser HDA 200 circumaural earphones	Pure-tone audiometry (M4 recommendation) at 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz	According to WHO M4 recommendation,^Citation7,Citation18 PTAV measured on a logarithmic scale
LogMAR chart	Visual acuity	Bailey-Lovey distance acuity chart,^Citation24 measured on a logarithmic scale
KAS-Screen	Interview guide with 110 question with nine themes	Questions from the following themes were used: background, vision and hearing, communication, access to information, orientation and mobility, ADL/IADL

Notes: HEINE Mini 3000^® Otoscope (HEINE Optotechnik, Herrsching, Germany); Sennheiser HDA 200 circumaural earphones (Sennheiser Electronic Corporation, Wennebostel, Germany).

Abbreviations: WHO, World Health Organization; PTAV, pure-tone average; KAS, Kombinert Alvorlig Sansesvikt (Combined Serious Sensory Impariment); ADL, activities of daily living; IADL, instrumental activities of daily living; LogMAR, logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution.

Figure 1 Measured pure-tone average and self-assessment of the hearing function, measured in percentage.

Table 2 Distribution of the measured pure-tone average

Degree of hearing loss according to reference values	WHO	Percentage	n
No impairment or very slight hearing problems	≤25 dB	7.5	7
Light impairment (hearing aid may be needed)	25–40 dB	40.9	38
Moderate (hearing aid usually recommended)	40–60 dB	47.3	44
Severe (hearing aids needed/lip-reading)	60–80 dB	2.2	2
Profound (unable to hear)	≥80 dB	2.2	2
Total		100.0	93

Abbreviation: WHO, World Health Organization.

Figure 2 Measured visual acuity and the self-assessment of the visual function, measured in percentage.

Table 3 Distribution of measured visual acuity

Visual function according to reference values	WHO	Percentage	n
Normal vision	>0.8	4.5	4
Slightly visually impaired	0.4–0.8	55.7	49
Visually impaired	≤0.4	39.8	35
Total		100.0	88

Abbreviation: WHO, World Health Organization.

Table 4 Self-assessed ability to communicate and read from the KAS-Screen, % (n)

Variables (questions from the KAS-Screen)	No, not usually	Yes, usually	Missing responses
Difficulties performing ADL/IADL because of vision or hearing	75.3 (70)	17.3 (16)	7
People talk too fast, too quietly, or unclearly	41.0 (38)	59.0 (55)	0
Difficult to understand when many are present	26.9 (25)	72.1 (67)	1
Difficult to understand dialects	37.7 (35)	62.4 (58)	0
Need to look at the face	73.2 (68)	26.9 (25)	0
Hearing inhibits conversation	84.9 (79)	15.1 (14)	0
Difficult to speak on the phone	75.3 (70)	24.8 (23)	0
Difficult to speak with strangers	65.6 (61)	34.5 (32)	0
Can read newspaper headlines	6.4 (6)	93.5 (87)	0
Can read regular newspaper print	20.4 (19)	79.2 (74)	0
Can read very small print	40.9 (38)	59.1 (55)	0
It is tiring to read	67.7 (63)	29.0 (27)	3
Can see and hear text and pictures on television	10.0 (9)	90.0 (83)	2
Difficult to recognize because of vision	70.9 (66)	29.1 (27)	0
Can hear radio/television/music-player	13.0 (12)	85.0 (79)	2
Can hear doorbell	95.7 (89)	2.2 (2)	2
Can hear fire-alarm/alarm	68.8 (64)	30.1 (28)	1
Can you see/hear what time it is	98.9 (92)	1.1 (1)	0
Is it easy to bump into or stumble	75.3 (70)	24.8 (23)	0
Vision is an obstacle to moving indoors in familiar places	92.5 (86)	7.6 (7)	0

Abbreviations: KAS, Kombinert Alvorlig Sansesvikt (Combined Serious Sensory Impariment); ADL, activities of daily living; IADL, instrumental activities of daily living.

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