Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities in Hearing Health Care Among Older Americans

Overview

Journal J Aging Health

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialty Geriatrics

Date 2015 May 9

PMID 25953816

Citations 75

Authors

Carrie L Nieman

Nicole Marrone

Sarah L Szanton

Roland J Thorpe Jr

Frank R Lin

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: Hearing impairment is highly prevalent, but little is known about hearing health care among older minority adults.

Method: We analyzed nationally representative, cross-sectional data from 1,544 older adults ≥ 70 years with audiometry and hearing care data from the 2005-2006 and 2009-2010 National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys.

Results: After adjusting for age and speech frequency pure tone average, Blacks (odds ratio [OR] = 1.68, vs. Whites) and those with greater education (OR = 1.63, ≥ college vs. < high school) were more likely to report recent hearing testing, while White older adults and those with greater socioeconomic status were more likely to report regular hearing aid use (all ps < .05). Based on a multivariate analysis, Blacks were not more likely than Whites to use hearing aids despite being more likely to have had recent hearing testing.

Discussion: Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities exist in hearing health care and represent critical areas for research and intervention.

Citing Articles

A scoping review on the nature of parental involvement among Pacific and minority populations with hearing loss.

Palavi L, Holt E, Nosa V J R Soc N Z. 2025; 55(3):721-753.

PMID: 39989647 PMC: 11841153. DOI: 10.1080/03036758.2024.2399359.

Hearing Screening in Older Adults in Primary Care Clinics: How the Effects of Setting and Provider Encouragement Differ by Patient Sex and Race.

West J, Dubno J, Francis H, Smith S Ear Hear. 2024; 46(2):512-522.

PMID: 39477819 PMC: 11833793. DOI: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000001604.

Prevalence of Hearing Loss and Hearing Aid Use Among Persons Living With Dementia in the US.

Nieman C, Garcia Morales E, Huang A, Reed N, Yasar S, Oh E JAMA Netw Open. 2024; 7(10):e2440400.

PMID: 39432304 PMC: 11581568. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.40400.

Hearing Aid Use Trends Among Older Adults by Income and Metropolitan vs Nonmetropolitan Residence.

Bessen S, Zhang W, Garcia-Morales E, Deal J, Reed N JAMA Netw Open. 2024; 7(9):e2436140.

PMID: 39331396 PMC: 11437379. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.36140.

Routine Hearing Screening for Older Adults in Primary Care: Insights of Patients and Clinic Personnel.

Silberberg M, Singh A, Bettger J, Smith S, Francis H, Dubno J Gerontologist. 2024; 64(10).

PMID: 39175188 PMC: 11446169. DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnae107.

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