Contrera Kevin J, Wallhagen Margaret I, Mamo Sara K, Oh Esther S, Lin Frank R
From the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (KJC); the Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California, San Francisco (MIW); the John A. Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence, San Francisco, CA (MIW); the Center on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD (SKM); the Department of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (ESO); and the Departments of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Geriatric Medicine, Mental Health, and Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (FRL).
J Am Board Fam Med. 2016 May-Jun;29(3):394-403. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2016.03.150235.
Hearing deficits are highly prevalent among older adults and are associated with declines in cognitive, physical, and mental health. However, hearing loss in the geriatric population often goes untreated and generally receives little clinical emphasis in primary care practice. This article reviews hearing health care for older adults, focusing on what is most relevant for family physicians. The objective of hearing loss treatment is to ensure that a patient can communicate effectively in all settings. We present the 5 major obstacles to obtaining effective hearing and rehabilitative care: awareness, access, treatment options, cost, and device effectiveness. Hearing technologies are discussed, along with recommendations on when it is appropriate to screen, refer, or counsel a patient. The purpose of this article is to provide pragmatic recommendations for the clinical management of the older adult with hearing loss that can be conducted in family medicine practices.
听力缺陷在老年人中非常普遍，并且与认知、身体和心理健康的下降有关。然而，老年人群中的听力损失往往得不到治疗，在初级保健实践中通常也很少受到临床重视。本文回顾了老年人的听力保健，重点关注与家庭医生最相关的内容。听力损失治疗的目标是确保患者在所有环境中都能有效沟通。我们提出了获得有效听力和康复护理的5个主要障碍：意识、可及性、治疗选择、成本和设备有效性。本文还讨论了听力技术，以及关于何时对患者进行筛查、转诊或咨询的建议。本文的目的是为家庭医学实践中对听力损失老年人的临床管理提供实用建议。
