Hearing loss in elderly: An Indian perspective

Abstract

The article aims to analyze audiological findings of 151 geriatric individuals with hearing loss who complained of a progressive reduction in hearing since 10 years. The degree of hearing loss corresponded to moderately severe sensory-neural hearing loss (52%). Cardiovascular diseases including high blood pressure (42%) and diabetes (17%) were the most frequently associated condition while 34% reported no known etiologies of hearing loss. Most common symptoms included difficulties in understanding conversational speech (54%) followed by tinnitus (49%), vertigo (25%) and intolerance to loud sounds (15%). The prevalent audiogram contour corresponded to a steep sloping pattern (45%). Males mostly (52%) had steep sloping high frequency hearing loss as compared to females (60%) who predominantly had a flat audiogram or gradually sloping audiogram (10%). There was a poor follow-up of 14%, most of who came with a complaint of poor benefit from the hearing aid especially in noisy situations.
The causes of hearing loss observed in these individuals are among the well known causes that are responsible for old age hearing loss. Even the audiograms obtained correspond to those of Schuknecht’s audiograms. It is found that there is quite much an acceptance to hearing loss in the Indian population and intervention is sought until and unless it is found to reach a degree where it interferes with one’s day to day communication.