Most studies conducted to assess physician-patient communication do not consider the possible hindrance patient hearing loss may have on the quality of these communications, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
For the study, researchers examined 67 research papers on patient-physician communication. Sixteen of the 67 papers mentioned hearing loss, with three studies reporting a link between hearing loss and care quality. Four of the 67 studies excluded individuals with hearing loss entirely. In just one study, individuals with hearing difficulty were given assistance to address the issue. This study found hearing assistance was associated with improved communication.
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"Hearing loss has long been neglected in the medical community," said Joshua Chodosh, MD, a geriatrician with New York University School of Medicine and the study's lead author. "As a geriatrician, I see many patients who struggle to hear what I'm saying to them. That makes me less certain that they are getting what they need."
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