Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Hawkesbury Rd, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.
Age Ageing. 2012 Mar;41(2):195-200. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afr155. Epub 2011 Nov 29.
age-related hearing loss is a common chronic condition; hence, it is important to understand its influence on the functional status of older adults. We assessed the association between hearing impairment with activity limitations as assessed by the activities of daily living (ADL) scale.
a total of 1,952 Blue Mountains Hearing Study participants aged ≥60 years had their hearing levels measured using pure-tone audiometry. A survey instrument with questions on functional status as determined by the Older Americans Resources and Services ADL scale was administered.
one hundred and sixty-four (10.4%) participants reported ADL difficulty. A higher proportion of hearing impaired than non-impaired adults reported difficulties in performing three out of the seven basic ADL and six out of the seven instrumental ADL tasks. After multivariable adjustment, increased severity of hearing loss was associated with impaired ADL (P(trend )= 0.001). Subjects with moderate to severe hearing loss compared with those without, had a 2.9-fold increased likelihood of reporting difficulty in ADL, multivariate-adjusted odds ratio (OR): 2.87 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.59-5.19]. Participants aged <75 years with hearing loss compared with those without, had 2-fold higher odds of impaired ADL. Having worn or wearing a hearing aid was also associated with a 2-fold increased likelihood of impaired ADL.
functional status as measured by a common ADL scale is diminished in older hearing impaired adults. Our findings suggest that severely diminished hearing could make the difference between independence and the need for formal support services or placement.
与年龄相关的听力损失是一种常见的慢性疾病；因此，了解其对老年人功能状态的影响很重要。我们评估了听力障碍与日常生活活动（ADL）量表评估的活动受限之间的关系。
共有 1952 名年龄≥60 岁的蓝山听力研究参与者接受了纯音测听测量其听力水平。使用有关功能状态的调查工具（由美国老年人资源和服务 ADL 量表确定）进行了调查。
164 名（10.4%）参与者报告存在 ADL 困难。与听力正常的成年人相比，听力受损的成年人报告在完成七项基本 ADL 中的三项和七项工具性 ADL 任务中的六项任务方面存在困难的比例更高。经过多变量调整后，听力损失程度越严重，ADL 受损的可能性越大（P（趋势）=0.001）。与无听力损失者相比，中重度听力损失者报告 ADL 困难的可能性增加了 2.9 倍，调整后的比值比（OR）为 2.87[95%置信区间（CI）：1.59-5.19]。与无听力损失者相比，年龄<75 岁且有听力损失者发生 ADL 受损的几率高 2 倍。佩戴或正在佩戴助听器也与 ADL 受损的可能性增加 2 倍相关。
使用常见的 ADL 量表衡量的功能状态在听力受损的老年成年人中下降。我们的研究结果表明，严重的听力下降可能会导致老年人在独立和需要正式支持服务或安置之间产生差异。
