Singap Med J
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This study sets out to determine the usefulness of a questionnaire to screen for hearing impairment, assess the psychosocial impact of hearing handicap and survey older persons' attitudes towards hearing aid usage. ⋯ Self-perception of hearing problems in the elderly is a strong indicator of hearing impairment. Introducing additional culturally-relevant questions based on activities of daily living improves the detection rate of hearing impairment. Although hearing loss impacts negatively on psychosocial well-being, most elderly subjects are unwilling to consider the use of hearing aids. There is a need to educate the elderly on the importance of intervention in order to reduce their handicap and improve their quality of life.