Possibilities of using a standardized questionnaire to detect hearing loss
Authors:
M. Kovalová 1; M. Škerková 1; T. Rychlý 1; H. Tomášková 1; R. Maďar 1; N. Gottfriedová 1; J. Mynář 1,3; E. Mrázková 1,2,3
Authors‘ workplace:
Ostravská univerzita, Ostrava, Lékařská fakulta, Ústav epidemiologie a ochrany veřejného zdraví, Vedoucí: doc. MUDr. Rastislav Maďar, PhD., MBA, FRCPS
1; Nemocnice Havířov, Oddělení ORL a chirurgie hlavy a krku, Primářka: MUDr. Eva Mrázková, Ph. D.
2; Centrum pro poruchy sluchu a rovnováhy, Ostrava, Vedoucí: MUDr. Eva Mrázková, Ph. D.
3
Published in:
Prakt. Lék. 2022; 102(6): 302-310
Category:
Of different specialties
Overview
Introduction: Hearing loss is the 3rd most common chronic disease in the elderly and is one of the most common causes of cognitive decline in older age. The aim was to find out whether the shortened version of the standardized questionnaire Hearing Handicap Inventory (HHI-S) is able to detect hearing problems in adults in a general practitioner’s office.
Methods: All probands underwent extended high-frequency audiometry and fillet out a questionnaire (a shortened version of the Hearing Handicap Inventory (HHI-S)). To determine the ability of the questionnaire to detect hearing handicap, the probands were divided into persons with an average hearing loss in the better hearing ear in individual frequency groups up to 25dB (normal hearing) and greater than 25dB (hearing loss). It were created 4 frequency groups (0.5–4 kHz, 6–8 kHz, 9–12.5 kHz and 14–16 kHz).
Results: It was examined 240 men (47.7%) and 263 women (52.3%) aged 18–64 years, who were not monitored in an otorhinolaryngologist’s office for hearing loss. The file was divided into 2 groups by age: from 18 to 39 years (244 people) and over 40 years (259 people). The highest average score in the questionnaire was achieved by persons in both age groups at the lowest evaluated frequencies (0.5–4 kHz). People under 40 scored an average of 8 points and over 40 scored 9 points. Younger subjects were found to have a better mean score compared to older subjects, both in normal hearing and hearing impaired subjects (p < 0.001). The average number of points from the HHI-S questionnaire in normal hearing does not increase with higher frequencies, but remains almost identical. However, the average score decreases with increasing frequencies by people with hearing loss.
Conclusion: Early detection of hearing loss will significantly improve the quality of life and reduce the risk of cognitive function loss. The HHI-S questionnaire appears in the general practitioner’s office as one of the quick, cheap and simple tools to detect hearing impairment, especially in people with undiagnosed hearing loss. However, in younger people with normal hearing but with the presence of risk factors, the questionnaire does not have such a high sensitivity, so it would be advisable to consider an audiometric examination to detect beginning hearing loss.
Keywords:
hearing loss – high-frequency audiometry – HHI-S
Sources
1. Cechnerová A, Bouček J. Nedoslýchavost v ordinaci praktického lékaře. Med Praxi 2011; 8(6): 272–274.
2. WHO. Addressing the rising prevalence of hearing loss. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2018 [online]. Dostupné z: https:// apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/260336/978924155 0260-eng.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0tQbo1bvObm8h5_hD0PBPmfPowiHLiQIDAJqJcnV1ThYnDy1fnb- q9flc [cit. 2022-10-21].
3. Cosh S, Helmer C, Delcourt C, et al. Depression in elderly patients with hearing loss: current perspectives. Clin Interv Aging 2019; 14: 1471–1480.
4. Durga J, Verhoef P, Anteunis LJC, et al. Effects of folic acid supplementation on hearing in older adults. Ann Intern Med 2007; 146(1): 1–9.
5. Han W, Kim G, Na W, et al. The development and standardization of self-assessment for hearing screening of the elderly. Clin Interv Aging 2016; 11: 787–795.
6. Gates GA, Murphy M, Rees TS, Fraher A. Screening for handicapping hearing loss in the elderly. J Fam Pract 2003; 52(1): 56–62.
7. Wu HY, Chin JJ, Tong HM. Screening for hearing impairment in a cohort of elderly patients attending a hospital geriatric medicine service. Singapore Med J 2004; 45(2): 79–84.
8. Stenklev NC, Laukli E. Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions in the elderly: Emisiones otoacústicas evocadas transitorias en el anciano. Int J Audiol 2009; 42(3): 132–139.
9. Valete-Rosalino CM, Rozenfeld S. Auditory screening in the elderly: comparison between self-report and audiometry. Re Bras Otorrinolaringol 2005; 71(2): 193–200.
10. Barbosa MR, de Sousa Medeiros D, Rossi-Barbosa LAR, et al. Self-perception of the hearing-impaired elderly before and after hearing-aid fittings. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 15(8): 977–982.
11. Bentur N, Valinsky L, Lemberger J, et al. Primary care intervention programme to improve early detection of hearing loss in the elderly. J Laryngol Otol 2012; 126(6): 574–579.
12. Chou R, Dana T, Bougatsos C, et al. Screening for hearing loss in adults ages 50 years and older: a review of the evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task 72 Force. Ann Intern Med 2011; 154(5): 347–355.
13. Löhler J, Walther L, Schlattmann P. Der Mini-Audio-Test (MAT). Screening-Fragebogen zur Ermittlung einer relevanten Schwerhörigkeit ab dem 50. Lebensjahr. Laryngo-Rhino-Otologie 2013; 92(12): 815–822.
14. Solheim J, Hickson L. Hearing aid use in the elderly as measured by datalogging and self-report. Int J Audiol 2017; 56(7): 472–479.
15. Hear-it. Prevalence of hearing loss in different countries, 2015 [online]. Dostupný z: http://www.hear-it.org/hearing-loss-ineurope [cit. 2022-10-21].
16. Livingston G, Huntley J, Sommerlad A, et al. Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission. Lancet 2020; 396: 413–446.
17. Škerková M, Kovalová M, Mrázková E. High-frequency audiometry for early detection of hearing loss: a narrative review. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18(9): 4702.
18. WHO. WHO global estimates on prevalence of hearing loss: mortality and burden of diseases and prevention of blindness and deafness. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2012 [online]. Dostupné z: http://www.who.int/pbd/deafness/WHO_GE_HL.pdf [cit. 2022-10-21].
19. Arnold ML, Hyer K, Small BJ, et al. Hearing aid prevalence and factors related to use among older adults from the Hispanic community health study/study of Latinos. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2019; 145(6): 501–508.
20. Phan NT, McKenzie JL, Huang L, et al. Diagnosis and management of hearing loss in elderly patients. Aust Fam Physician 2016; 45(6): 366–369.
21. Olusanya BO, Neumann KJ, Saunders JE. The global burden of disabling hearing impairment: a call to action. Bull World Health Organ 2014; 92(5): 367–373.
22. Malucelli DA, Malucelli FJ, Fonsec VR, et al. Estudo da prevalência de hipoacusia em indivíduos com diabetes mellitus tipo 1. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol 2012; 78(3): 105–115.
23. Newman CW, Weinstein BE, Jacobson GP. The Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults: psychometric adequacy and audiometric correlates. Ear Hear 1990; 11(6): 430–433.
24. Newman CW, Weinstein BE, Jacobson GP, Hug GA. Test-retest reliability of Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults. Ear Hear 1991; 12(5): 355–357.
25. Blanař V, Mejzlík J., Pellant A, a kol. Česká verze dotazníku Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults. Otorinolaryngol Foniatr 2014; 63(1): 50–54.
26. GBD 2019 Hearing Loss Collaborators. Hearing loss prevalence and years lived with disability, 1990–2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Lancet 2021; 397(10278): 996–1009.
27. National Guideline Centre (UK). Hearing loss in adults: assessment and management. London: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK), 2018 [online]. Dostupné z: https://www. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513208/ [cit. 2022-10-21].
28. Scudder SG, Culbertson DS, Waldron CM, Stewart J. predictive validity and reliability of adult hearing screening techniques. J Am Acad Audiol 2003; 14(1): 9–19.
29. Smith PA, C. Davis A, Pronk M, et al. Adult hearing screening: What comes next? Int J Audiol 2011; 50(9): 610–612.
30. American Academy of Family Physicians. Clinical Preventive Service Recommendation: Hearing, 2021 [online]. Dostupné z: https://www.aafp.org/family-physician/patient-care/clinical-recommendations/ all-clinical-recommendations/hearing.html [cit. 2022-10-21].
31. UK National Screening Committee. UK NSC Adults Recommendation. Hearing Loss (adult), 2016 [online]. Dostupné z: https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov. uk/hearing-loss-adult/ [cit. 2022-10-21].
32. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Preferred practice patterns for the profession of audiology. ASHA Supl 2006 [online]. Dostupné z: https://www.asha.org/policy/ pp2006-00274/ [cit. 2022-10-21].
33. US Preventive Services Task Force, Krist AH, Davidson KW, Mangione CM, et al. Screening for hearing loss in older adults: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA 2021; 325(12): 1196–1201.
34. Pichora-Fuller MK, Souza PE. Effects of aging on auditory processing of speech. Int J Audiol 2003; 42(2): 2S11–2S16.
35. Stenfelt S, Janssen T, Schirkonyer V, Grandori F. e-Health technologies for adult hearing screening. Audiol Res 2011; 1(1): e14.
36. Killion MC, Niquette PA. What can the pure-tone audiogram tell us about a patient’s SNR loss? Hear J 2000; 53(3): 46–53.
37. Paglialonga A, Tognola G, Grandori F. SUN-test (Speech Understanding in Noise): a method for hearing disability screening. Audiol Res 2011; 1(1): e13.
38. Feltner C, Wallace IF, Kistler CE, et al. Screening for hearing loss in older adults: an evidence review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US), 2021. Report No. 20-05269-EF-1.
39. Feltner C, Wallace IF, Kistler CE, et al. Screening for hearing loss in older adults: updated evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force. JAMA 2021; 325(12): 1202–1215.
40. Dubno JR, Majumder P, Bettner JP, et al. A pragmatic clinical trial of hearing screening in primary care clinics: cost-effectiveness of hearing screening. Cost Eff Resour Alloc 2022; 20(1): 26.
41. ASHA. Adult hearing screening, 2022 [online]. Dostupné z: https:// www.asha.org/practice-portal/professional-issues/adult-hearing- screening [cit. 2022-10-21].
42. Simpson AN, Matthews LJ, Cassarly C, Dubno JR. Time from hearing-aid candidacy to hearing-aid adoption: A longitudinal cohort study. Ear Hear 2019; 40(3): 468–476.
43. Zazove P, Plegue MA, McKee MM, et al. Effective hearing loss screening in primary care: The Early Auditory Referral–Primary Care study. Ann Fam Med 2020; 18(6): 520–527.
44. Bennett RJ, Conway N, Fletcher S, Barr C. The role of the general practitioner in managing age-related hearing loss: A scoping review. Am J Audiol 2020; 29(2): 265–289.
45. Yueh B, Shapiro N, MacLean CH, Shekelle PG. Screening and management of adult hearing loss in primary care: Scientific review. JAMA 2003; 289(15): 1976–1985.
Labels
General practitioner for children and adolescents General practitioner for adultsArticle was published in
General Practitioner
2022 Issue 6
Most read in this issue
- Homenursing care after a strokefrom the perspectiveofpatients
- The multidisciplinary team in primary care – cooperation between an occupational therapist and a general practitioner
- Indications, timing and initiation of mobile specialized palliative care and the role of the general practitioner
- Possibilities of using a standardized questionnaire to detect hearing loss