Use of hearing aids and assistive listening devices and its influencing factors among the elderly with disabling hearing loss in China

  Objective  To analyze the prevalence and determinants of hearing aids and assistive listening devices utilization among the elderly with disabling hearing loss in China.

  Methods  Data on 29 495 residents aged 60 years and above with isolated disabling hearing loss were extracted from the second wave of National Sample Survey on Disability in China conducted in 2006. Descriptive analysis and multivariate logistic regressions were used to explore the prevalence and determinants of assistive listening devices utilization among the participants.

  Results  The utilization rate of assistive devices was 7.62% among the participants and the utilization rate was higher among the participants at older age, being male, living in cities or towns, being married, with the education of junior high school and above, with higher household income, having disability certificate, with severe hearing impairment, with self-care ability, and with restricted ability in getting along with others. The results of unconditional multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the utilization of assistive listening devices was associated with demographics, social economic condition, the severity of disabling hearing loss, and the dysfunction in daily life among the participants; the participants at elder or eldest age, living in cities or towns, being married, with the education of primary school/junior high school and above, with an annual household income of 1 500 yuan (RMB) per capita, and having disability certificate were more likely to use assistive listening devices; and those most likely to use assistive listening devices were the participants with severe disabling hearing loss and with impaired functions in daily self-care, getting along with others, and social participation.

  Conclusion  The utilization of listening assistive devices was at a low level among the elderly with disabling hearing loss in China and the utilization is associated with the disabled elderly′s demographics, social economic status, the extent of disabling hearing loss and health condition.