Hearing impairment and the elderly patient.

Hearing impairment is one of the most common causes of disability in the elderly. In addition to its obvious adverse effects on communication, hearing impairment has been associated with impaired mobility, cognitive impairment, and depression. Treatment of hearing impairment can reduce symptoms of depression and improve quality of life in hearing impaired patients. Yet in the Framingham cohort, although 41% of those 65 years of age and older admitted to hearing difficulty, only 10% had ever used a hearing aid. This article discusses the epidemiology of hearing problems in the elderly, types of hearing loss, the adverse effects of hearing loss, the benefits and drawbacks of hearing aids, and the role of the primary care physician in helping hearing impaired.