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Association Between Hearing Impairment and Self‐Reported Difficulty in Physical Functioning
Author(s) -
Chen David S.,
Genther Dane J.,
Betz Joshua,
Lin Frank R.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/jgs.12800
Subject(s) - medicine , odds ratio , confidence interval , audiometry , cross sectional study , audiology , activities of daily living , hearing loss , absolute threshold of hearing , multivariate analysis , gerontology , physical therapy , pathology
Objectives To determine whether hearing impairment, defined by using objective audiometry, is associated with multiple categories of self‐reported physical functioning in a cross‐sectional, nationally representative sample of older adults. Design Multivariate secondary analysis of cross‐sectional data. Setting The 2005–06 and 2009–10 cycles of the N ational H ealth and N utrition E xamination S urvey. Participants Adults aged 70 and older who completed audiometric testing ( N  = 1,669). Measurements Hearing was measured using pure‐tone audiometry. Physical functioning was assessed using a structured interview. Results In a model adjusted for age and demographic and cardiovascular risk factors, greater hearing impairment (per 25 dB hearing level ( HL )) was associated with greater odds of physical disability in activities of daily living (odds ratio ( OR ) = 1.4, 95% confidence interval ( CI ) = 1.1–1.9), instrumental activities of daily living ( OR  = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.2–2.2), leisure and social activities ( OR  = 1.5, 95% CI  = 1.1–2.0), lower extremity mobility ( OR  = 1.4, 95% CI  = 1.1–1.7), general physical activities ( OR  = 1.3, 95% CI  = 1.1–1.6), work limitation ( OR  = 1.4, 95% CI  = 1.0–1.9), walking limitation ( OR  = 1.6, 95% CI  = 1.3–2.0), and limitation due to memory or confusion ( OR  = 1.4, 95% CI  = 1.1–1.8). Hearing impairment was not associated with limitations in amount or type of work done ( OR  = 1.2, 95% CI  = 1.0–1.6). Conclusion Hearing impairment in older adults is independently associated with greater disability and limitations in multiple self‐reported categories of physical functioning.

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