Objective
To investigate whether associations of hearing impairment (HI) with functional outcomes in older adults differ when using self-report versus pure-tone-audiometry.
Methods
We examined 1669 participants ≥70 years in National Health and Examination Survey from 2005–2006 and 2009–2010 whose hearing was assessed by self-report and pure-tone-audiometry. We explored functional outcomes associated with audiometric HI (low physical activity, poor physical functioning, and hospitalization).
Results
In adjusted models, we found significant associations of audiometric HI with both subjective and objective outcomes, (e.g., dichotomous HI with self-reported difficulty in activities of daily living (ADLs), OR=1.47[95%CI:1.05–2.06] and low accelerometer-measured physical activity, OR=2.19[95%CI:1.11–4.34]). In contrast, self-reported HI was only associated with subjective outcomes and not with objective outcomes (e.g., dichotomous HI with difficulty in ADLs, OR=1.63 [95%CI:1.12–2.38] and low accelerometer-measured physical activity OR=0.95 [95%CI:0.66–1.35]).
Discussion
Results using self-reported hearing should not be considered representative of results using audiometry and may provide distinct aspects of HI in older adults.