Abstract
Effective communications between health care providers and patients are critical for high-quality health care. This study sampled adults age 65 years and older to explore (1) characteristics associated with limited health literacy (LHL) and (2) medical costs and gaps in care based on health literacy, hearing loss, and hearing aid use status. The study included 19,223 adults age 65 years and older who completed a health survey that was linked to his or her medical claims that were generated after medical care provided in the year prior to survey completion. Health literacy, hearing loss, and hearing aid use were assessed through self-reports. Health literacy was coded as limited and adequate. Hearing loss and hearing aid use were coded into five categories: no hearing loss, unaided mild, aided mild, unaided severe, and aided severe hearing loss. Seven percent reported LHL and 41% reported hearing loss. Hearing loss, especially unaided severe, was associated with LHL, as were memory loss, depression, loneliness, older age, and male gender. People with aided severe hearing loss and LHL had higher annual medical costs than those with adequate health literacy. Similarly, those with no hearing loss and LHL had higher annual medical c...Continue Reading
References
Jan 13, 1996·BMJ : British Medical Journal·D L SackettW S Richardson
Nov 23, 2000·Archives of Internal Medicine·J GazmararianD G Blazer
Oct 30, 2003·Medical Care·Kurt KroenkeJanet B W Williams
Apr 6, 2005·The American Journal of Medicine·David H HowardRuth M Parker
Jul 27, 2006·Journal of Medical Internet Research·Lana IvanitskayaAnne Marie Casey
Aug 3, 2006·Journal of General Internal Medicine·Lorraine S WallaceBarry D Weiss
May 28, 2008·Research on Aging·Mary Elizabeth HughesJohn T Cacioppo
Aug 1, 2009·International Journal of Public Health·Klaus EichlerUrs Brügger
Mar 2, 2011·The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences·Frank R LinLuigi Ferrucci
Jul 20, 2011·Annals of Internal Medicine·Nancy D BerkmanKaren Crotty
Nov 16, 2011·Archives of Internal Medicine·Frank R LinLuigi Ferrucci
Jan 31, 2014·Health Services Research·Marina SerperMichael S Wolf
Nov 22, 2014·Journal of the American Geriatrics Society·Paul MickFrank R Lin
Apr 8, 2016·JAMA Otolaryngology-- Head & Neck Surgery·Annie N SimpsonJudy R Dubno
Jul 20, 2016·BMC Public Health·Dena M FernandezBrian J Zikmund-Fisher
Sep 24, 2016·Journal of Health Communication·Bas GeboersAndrea F de Winter
Nov 9, 2016·BMC Geriatrics·Tuija M MikkolaAnne Viljanen
Jan 17, 2017·Geriatric Nursing·Stephanie MacLeodCharlotte S Yeh
Jun 6, 2017·Drugs & Aging·Shirley MusichEllen Wicker
Jun 10, 2017·Disability and Health Journal·Michael M McKeeAmanda Reichard
Jan 26, 2018·Orthopaedic Nursing·Carolyn Crane CutilliIan M Bennett
Mar 22, 2018·BMC Geriatrics·Bas GeboersH Susan J Picavet
Mar 29, 2018·Disability and Rehabilitation·Elizabeth ConveryGitte Keidser
May 2, 2018·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·Janelle M Guirguis-BlakeTracy L Beil
May 2, 2018·JAMA Otolaryngology-- Head & Neck Surgery·Elham MahmoudiMichael M McKee
May 17, 2019·Journal of Aging and Health·Timothy S WellsCharlotte S Yeh