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Research Article

Relationship between self-reported hearing and measured hearing impairment in an elderly population in Finland

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Pages 297-302 | Received 25 Oct 2010, Accepted 11 Dec 2010, Published online: 08 Feb 2011
 

Abstract

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the Finnish version of the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Elderly Screening (HHIE-S) questionnaire and a simple single-question method in detecting hearing loss. Design: We compared the HHIE-S score and the single question with audiometry results. By analysing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the HHIE-S scores we estimated the appropriate cut-off points for the different degrees of hearing loss. Study Sample: 164 home-dwelling subjects in the age cohorts of 70, 75, 80 and 85 years in an industrialized town in Finland filled in the questionnaire, and attended the audiometry. Results: For the detection of moderate or worse hearing loss (i.e., pure tone average at 0.5-4 kHz frequencies >40 dB), the HHIE-S cut-off score of >8 had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 59.7%. The single question had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 70.7%. Thus, the single question was equally sensitive and more specific in detecting moderate or worse hearing loss than the HHIE-S score. However, for the detection of mild hearing loss (i.e., pure tone average >25 dB), the HHIE-S was more sensitive but less specific than the single question.

Sumario

Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la utilidad de la versión finlandesa del Cuestionario para la Identificación de Discapacidad Auditiva de Adultos Mayores (HHIE-S) y la de un método simple de una sola pregunta para detectar pérdidas auditivas. Diseño: Comparamos la puntuación del HHIE-S y de la pregunta aislada con los resultados audiométricos. Al analizar las curvas caracter sticas de operación del receptor (ROC) y las puntuaciones del HHIE-S, estimamos los puntos de corte apropiados para los diferentes grados de pérdida auditiva. Muestra de Estudio: Llenaron el cuestionario 164 sujetos que vivían en sus propias casas, pertenecientes a las cohortes de edad de 70, 75, 80 y 85 ańos, en una localidad industrializada de Finlandia y que se sometieron a la audiometría. Resultados: Para la identificación de pérdidas moderadas o peores (p. ej. promedio de tonos puros en las frecuencias de 0.5–4 kHz, >40 dB), la puntuación para el corte del HHIE-S en >8, tuvo una sensibilidad de 100% y una especificidad de 59.7%. La pregunta aislada tuvo una sensibilidad de 100% y una especificidad de 70.7%. Por esto, la pregunta aislada fue igualmente sensible pero más específica para la identificación de pérdidas auditivas moderadas o peores que la puntuación del HHIE-S. No obstante, para la identificación de pérdidas leves (p. ej. promedio de tonos puros >25 dB), el HHIE-S tuvo mayor sensibilidad aunque su especificidad fue menor que para la pregunta aislada.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support from South-Western Finlands Hospital District.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

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