Accuracy of self- and proxy-rated hearing among older adults with and without cognitive impairment.
Alexander S KimJoshua F BetzMarilyn AlbertJennifer A DealSarah P FaucetteEsther S OhNicholas S ReedFrank R LinCarrie L NiemanPublished in: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (2021)
The low sensitivity of self- and proxy-rated hearing assessments compared to audiometry suggests that hearing loss among older adults with cognitive impairment may go underreported and unaddressed in subjective assessments. Clinicians and researchers should recognize the limitations of using self- and proxy-rated hearing assessments as measures of hearing status and incorporate objective audiometric evaluation whenever possible.