Self-Assessed Hearing Handicap in Older Adults With Poorer-Than-Predicted Speech Recognition in Noise.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Even older adults with relatively mild hearing loss report hearing handicap, suggesting that hearing handicap is not completely explained by reduced speech audibility.

Method

We examined the extent to which self-assessed ratings of hearing handicap using the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE; Ventry & Weinstein, 1982) were significantly associated with measures of speech recognition in noise that controlled for differences in speech audibility.

Results

One hundred sixty-two middle-aged and older adults had HHIE total scores that were significantly associated with audibility-adjusted measures of speech recognition for low-context but not high-context sentences. These findings were driven by HHIE items involving negative feelings related to commun

SUBMITTER: Eckert MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5533557 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature