Hearing loss education for older adults in primary care clinics: Benefits of a concise educational brochure.
Margaret I Wallhagen, William J Strawbridge
PMID 28449943WHAT IT FOUND
70% of 67 older adults made at least one communication change after a brief brochure and hearing-loss education over 3 months.
Referral uptake varied, and no control group means this cannot prove the brochure caused the changes.
Key findings
01At the 3-month follow-up, 70% of the 67 participants made at least one change in daily life to improve communication, and 24% made more than one change.
02Physicians offered referral to 34 participants and did not offer referral to 33; in 31 of the 33 non-referrals, the physician did not discuss the hearing-test result.
03Of 34 participants offered a referral, 18 followed through; among 33 not offered a referral, 5 sought a hearing evaluation on their own.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
There was no control group, so reported changes cannot be attributed to the brochure or education alone. Outcomes were self-reported actions at 3 months, and the supplied results do not report objective hearing or communication outcomes. Physicians did not consistently discuss the screening results, so the intervention occurred within incomplete clinical communication. The sample was mostly female, well educated, and covered by Medicare or supplemental insurance, so it may not represent all older primary care patients. Follow-up was short, so sustained behavior change or longer-term hearing service use is unknown. The education was delivered by a research nurse, which may differ from routine clinic staffing.
Declared interests
The supplied article text does not include a funding or conflict-of-interest declaration; the supplied publication types list NIH extramural research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the brochure alone caused the communication changes. Participants also saw their providers, and the report does not separate the effects of the brochure, the education, and the provider visit.