Health Literacy and Self-Reported Hearing Aid Use in the Health and Retirement Study

Conclusions:
Taken at face value, the results provide mixed evidence for a link between health literacy and hearing aid use. The results from the analysis of the largest sample, using the subjective health literacy measure, were consistent with the hypothesis that low health literacy is a barrier to hearing aid use. However, this was not supported by the analysis of the objective health literacy measures in these samples. Further research using full health literacy measurement tools and capturing other relevant variables would offer clarification on this conflict. The literacy level of clinical materials and conversation is a modifiable potential factor in hearing aid uptake, so further clinical and research consideration is warranted.

Source: Ear and Hearing - February 27, 2020 Category: Audiology Tags: Research Article Source Type: research