Low Intention to Visit a Hospital for Hearing Loss Among Older Adults

Age-related hearing loss (HL) is a well-known risk factor for social isolation, impaired gait performance, and cognitive impairment, including dementia.1-4 Although there is no curative treatment for HL, early treatment with hearing aids can prevent secondary disorders due to HL.5 Therefore, medical examinations at an earlier stage are desirable; however, it is unclear how many older adults with HL intend to visit an audiologist due to HL. Assessing the proportion of such older adults may help us in understanding the low awareness regarding HL.