Effects of hearing impairment on use of health services among the elderly
Autor: | Carla A. Green, Clyde R. Pope |
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Rok vydání: | 2002 |
Předmět: |
Gerontology
Male medicine.medical_specialty media_common.quotation_subject MEDLINE Audiology Affect (psychology) 03 medical and health sciences Health services 0302 clinical medicine otorhinolaryngologic diseases Medicine Humans 030212 general & internal medicine Medical diagnosis Hearing Disorders Depression (differential diagnoses) media_common Aged Community and Home Care Health Services Needs and Demand 030505 public health business.industry Multilevel model Managed Care Programs United States Health maintenance Female Geriatrics and Gerontology 0305 other medical science business Seriousness |
Zdroj: | Journal of aging and health. 13(3) |
ISSN: | 0898-2643 |
Popis: | Objectives:To assess the effects of hearing impairment on health-service use in an elderly population, controlling for factors associated with hearing difficulties known to affect utilization. Methods:Diagnoses of hearing impairment, depression, and chronic illnesses were used in hierarchical regression procedures to predict the volume and probability of any service use among 1,436 randomly selected 65-year-old health maintenance organization members. Results:Hearing impairment substantially increased the likelihood of making at least one visit to a health care provider (OR = 3.31, 95%; CI = 1.55-7.06). Among those who made such visits, however, hearing impairment did not lead to use of additional services despite expectations to the contrary. Discussion:Further research should explore whether underutilization of services exists, and, if so, whether it stems from clinician or patient attitudes about the seriousness of hearing impairment, from a paucity of available treatment strategies, or from some combination of these and other factors. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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