Just How Common is Deafness in Older People ?

The popular perception is that old people are usually deaf. And, in fact, it’s true that many older folk are hard of hearing. But just how common is the problem? When does it start, and does it get worse as you get older? A study reported in the Archives of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery has tried to find answers to these questions.   ;   What was done   ;   Residents of Beaver Dam Township in Wisconsin aged 48 to 92 were invited to take part in the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (EHLS). The examinations included otoscopy (examination of the external ear canal and the ear drum), tympanometry (measurement of middle-ear mobility and middle-ear pressure using sound and air pressure), and audiometry (measurement of hearing ability).   Hearing loss was determined using audiometry, with threshold values for perceived intensity (measured in decibels) at various pitches (frequencies). Hearing loss was defined as a loss of 25 decibels or more in either ear. Progression of hearing impairment was defined as a change of more than 5 decibels among those with hearing loss at baseline.   These examinations, made at baseline, were repeated after approximately 5 years.   ;