Some factors affecting assessment of hearing handicap in the elderly
Chmiel, R.; Jerger, J.
Journal of the American Academy of Audiology 4(4): 249-257
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 1050-0545 PMID: 8369542 Document Number: 412571
In 42 elderly hearing-impaired persons we compared the patient's self-assessment of hearing handicap with the assessment made by the patient's significant other. In general, patients tended to rate themselves as less handicapped than did their significant others. The difference was not affected by degree of loss but was affected by slope of loss and by the presence of central auditory processing deficit. Results support the value of the handicap assessment by the significant other in understanding the communication problems of the elderly patient.