Sex-specific predictors of hearing-aid use in older persons: The age,gene/environment susceptibility - Reykjavik study |
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| Authors: | Diana E Fisher Chuan-Ming Li Howard J Hoffman May S Chiu Christa L Themann Hannes Petersen |
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| Institution: | 1. *Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications, Intramural Research Program, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA;2. Epidemiology and Statistics Program, Division of Scientific Programs, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA;3. Hearing Loss Prevention Team, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA;4. Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland;5. Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland |
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| Abstract: | Objective: We estimate the prevalence of hearing-aid use in Iceland and identify sex-specific factors associated with use. Design: Population-based cohort study. Study sample: A total of 5172 age, gene/environment susceptibility - Reykjavik study (AGES-RS) participants, aged 67 to 96 years (mean age 76.5 years), who completed air-conduction and pure-tone audiometry. Results: Hearing-aid use was reported by 23.0% of men and 15.9% of women in the cohort, although among participants with at least moderate hearing loss in the better ear (pure-tone average PTA] of thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz ≥ 35 dB hearing level HL]) it was 49.9% and did not differ by sex. Self-reported hearing loss was the strongest predictor of hearing-aid use in men OR: 2.68 (95% CI: 1.77, 4.08)] and women OR: 3.07 (95% CI: 1.94, 4.86)], followed by hearing loss severity based on audiometry. Having diabetes or osteoarthritis were significant positive predictors of use in men, whereas greater physical activity and unimpaired cognitive status were important in women. Conclusions: Hearing-aid use was comparable in Icelandic men and women with moderate or greater hearing loss. Self-recognition of hearing loss was the factor most predictive of hearing-aid use; other influential factors differed for men and women. |
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| Keywords: | Age-related hearing loss hearing impairment hearing aids older persons sex differences |
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