Help-seeking behaviour of hearing-impaired people aged 55 years and older: effect of complaints, significant others and hearing aid image

Objective. To determine the factors influencing help-seeking behaviour in hearing impaired people aged 55 years and older. Materials and methods. The study comprised 1419 car drivers (480 women, 939 men) aged 55 years and older. Pure tone audiometry was performed. Participants without a hearing aid, with an averaged hearing loss of ≥ 30 dB over the frequencies 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz, were asked about their hearing by means of a structured questionnaire. Results. Thirty-four per cent of the participants had a hearing loss exceeding 30 dB. Twenty-three per cent of these hearing impaired patients visited their GP with complaints of hearing loss and 25% already possessed a hearing aid. Of the 113 patients without hearing aids, 83% judged their hearing ‘poor’ or ‘bad’, 73,5% felt social pressure and 48% thought a hearing aid might help. Fifty-five per cent of hearing impaired individuals who did not visit their GP had hearing complaints and did not express a good hearing aid image. Social pressure by significant others was perceived less in this group compared to those visiting their GP. Conclusion. Help-seeking behaviour of hearing impaired elderly people depends on their hearing complaints, on hearing aid image and on social pressure by significant others.