Hedner K, Broms P, Harris S, Steen B
Department of Community Health Sciences, Lund University, Sweden.
Compr Gerontol A. 1987 Jun;1(2):69-71.
A study was made of the hearing of 197 geriatric long-stay patients aged 51 to 104 (mean 84) years. Information regarding hearing problems was collected by questionnaire, and hearing was tested with pure-tone audiometry after wax extraction. Only 55 patients were able to participate in the hearing test due to the high prevalence of dementia. For this category of patients it is probably necessary to use objective neurophysiological tests, such as brain stem audiometry and electrocochleography. All patients tested had considerably impaired hearing. Mean hearing loss in the speech area was 51 dB, indicating that a majority of the patients needed hearing aids. However, only one patient in 10 had such. Technical devices for amplification in the wards were scarce. It was evident that impaired hearing among geriatric long-stay patients was an underestimated and rather neglected problem, and a need for education among the nursing staff regarding communication problems was noted.
对197名年龄在51至104岁（平均84岁）的老年长期住院患者的听力进行了研究。通过问卷调查收集有关听力问题的信息，并在清除耵聍后用纯音听力计进行听力测试。由于痴呆症的高患病率，只有55名患者能够参加听力测试。对于这类患者，可能有必要使用客观神经生理学测试，如脑干听力测定和耳蜗电图。所有接受测试的患者听力均有相当程度的受损。言语区域的平均听力损失为51分贝，这表明大多数患者需要助听器。然而，每10名患者中只有1人佩戴了助听器。病房内用于放大声音的技术设备很少。很明显，老年长期住院患者的听力受损是一个被低估且相当被忽视的问题，并且注意到护理人员需要接受有关沟通问题的教育。
