Addressing adult hearing loss in primary care

Aims To (a) determine the extent to which primary care providers screen adults for environmental or occupational hearing loss during the primary care visit and (b) determine what techniques are used to screen for hearing loss in the adult primary care patient. Background Although the prevalence of hearing loss is high, the frequency and techniques of screening for hearing loss among primary care providers are unknown. According to the U nited S tates P reventative T ask F orce, hearing screening promotes early detection, adequate treatment, and improved quality of life. Design It is a retrospective audit. Methods Thirty client records were randomly selected from two clinics in 2009 for this retrospective patient record audit. Results/findings Physical assessment of the structure of the auditory system was completed in all cases selected. Hearing acuity in all cases was determined by patient self‐assessment, as indicated on patient‐completed history forms; there was no documentation of objective assessment of auditory function. Conclusion Given the low correlation between perceived and measured hearing ability, assessment of hearing ability by patient report alone may result in failure to detect hearing loss. Research into the nature and extent of barriers to hearing assessment in primary care needs to be explored, and criteria for screening of adults in the primary care setting should be established.