Self-reported hearing handicap for older adults: Questionnaire evaluation and relation to common audiological measures

Objective
Self-reported hearing difficulties are often assessed using the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE) or for Adults (HHIA). These two measures differ by only three of their 25 items and are referred to here as HHI. The HHI was recently translated into Danish but has not been
systematically evaluated so far. The purpose of the current study was to address this shortcoming and to relate the collected HHI scores to common audiological measures.

Methods
Participants over 50 years of age completed the Danish HHI twice within approx. four weeks. Participants with a wide range of hearing abilities were included. Two different orders of the 25 HHI items were compared: (1) the conventional order, and (2) an experimental order in which the items
were presented in blocks beginning with the 10-item screener version. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were assessed and compared for both item orders. Extended high-frequency audiometry and speech audiometry using the Danish Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) were also completed.

Results
Data collection and analyses are currently ongoing. First results show a broad range of HHI total scores as well as excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The two item orders seem to give comparable results. HHI scores appear moderately correlated with pure-tone average hearing loss and speech recognition thresholds.

Conclusion
The Danish HHI seems comparable to the original English version. It appears to be a good instrument for assessing self-reported hearing abilities, which common audiological measures are unable to capture effectively.