Socioeconomic Position and Health-Seeking Behavior for Hearing Loss Among Older Adults in England

Lenka Benova; Emily Grundy; George B Ploubidis

doi:10.1093/geronb/gbu024

Socioeconomic Position and Health-Seeking Behavior for Hearing Loss Among Older Adults in England

Lenka Benova, Emily Grundy, George B Ploubidis

Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Web of Science-article › peer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether socioeconomic position (SEP) is associated with progression in the health-seeking process for hearing loss.

METHOD: Logistic regression of data from a cross-sectional survey representative of noninstitutionalized, 50 years and older population of England (ELSA wave 2, 2004). Using self-reported hearing difficulty as starting point, we examined the association between SEP and health-seeking behaviors in 6 stages leading to hearing aid acquisition and use.

RESULTS: Higher SEP was associated with lower odds of self-reported hearing difficulty, adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83-0.91, p < .001). There was marginal negative association between higher SEP and receiving hearing aid recommendation (adjusted OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.78-0.99, p = .05). SEP was not associated with any other stage of health-seeking behavior.

DISCUSSION: Among the noninstitutionalized older population of England, SEP-related inequalities exist in the prevalence of self-reported hearing loss. However, SEP is not strongly associated with progression in the remaining stages of health-seeking process during and after an individual's contact with the health system.

Original language	English
Journal	Journals of Gerontology. Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Volume	70
Issue number	3
Pages (from-to)	443-52
Number of pages	10
ISSN	1079-5014
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbu024
Publication status	Published - 2015
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cross-Sectional Studies
England/epidemiology
Female
Hearing Aids/statistics & numerical data
Hearing Loss/epidemiology
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data
Prevalence
Self Report
Social Class

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10.1093/geronb/gbu024

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@article{734b30ec6fcf47df84ef509cc17b7d7a,

title = "Socioeconomic Position and Health-Seeking Behavior for Hearing Loss Among Older Adults in England",

abstract = "OBJECTIVE: To examine whether socioeconomic position (SEP) is associated with progression in the health-seeking process for hearing loss.METHOD: Logistic regression of data from a cross-sectional survey representative of noninstitutionalized, 50 years and older population of England (ELSA wave 2, 2004). Using self-reported hearing difficulty as starting point, we examined the association between SEP and health-seeking behaviors in 6 stages leading to hearing aid acquisition and use.RESULTS: Higher SEP was associated with lower odds of self-reported hearing difficulty, adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83-0.91, p < .001). There was marginal negative association between higher SEP and receiving hearing aid recommendation (adjusted OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.78-0.99, p = .05). SEP was not associated with any other stage of health-seeking behavior.DISCUSSION: Among the noninstitutionalized older population of England, SEP-related inequalities exist in the prevalence of self-reported hearing loss. However, SEP is not strongly associated with progression in the remaining stages of health-seeking process during and after an individual's contact with the health system.",

keywords = "Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cross-Sectional Studies, England/epidemiology, Female, Hearing Aids/statistics & numerical data, Hearing Loss/epidemiology, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data, Prevalence, Self Report, Social Class",

author = "Lenka Benova and Emily Grundy and Ploubidis, {George B}",

note = "{\textcopyright} The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.",

year = "2015",

doi = "10.1093/geronb/gbu024",

language = "English",

volume = "70",

pages = "443--52",

journal = "Journals of Gerontology. Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences",

issn = "1079-5014",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Socioeconomic Position and Health-Seeking Behavior for Hearing Loss Among Older Adults in England

AU - Benova, Lenka

AU - Grundy, Emily

AU - Ploubidis, George B

N1 - © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - OBJECTIVE: To examine whether socioeconomic position (SEP) is associated with progression in the health-seeking process for hearing loss.METHOD: Logistic regression of data from a cross-sectional survey representative of noninstitutionalized, 50 years and older population of England (ELSA wave 2, 2004). Using self-reported hearing difficulty as starting point, we examined the association between SEP and health-seeking behaviors in 6 stages leading to hearing aid acquisition and use.RESULTS: Higher SEP was associated with lower odds of self-reported hearing difficulty, adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83-0.91, p < .001). There was marginal negative association between higher SEP and receiving hearing aid recommendation (adjusted OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.78-0.99, p = .05). SEP was not associated with any other stage of health-seeking behavior.DISCUSSION: Among the noninstitutionalized older population of England, SEP-related inequalities exist in the prevalence of self-reported hearing loss. However, SEP is not strongly associated with progression in the remaining stages of health-seeking process during and after an individual's contact with the health system.

AB - OBJECTIVE: To examine whether socioeconomic position (SEP) is associated with progression in the health-seeking process for hearing loss.METHOD: Logistic regression of data from a cross-sectional survey representative of noninstitutionalized, 50 years and older population of England (ELSA wave 2, 2004). Using self-reported hearing difficulty as starting point, we examined the association between SEP and health-seeking behaviors in 6 stages leading to hearing aid acquisition and use.RESULTS: Higher SEP was associated with lower odds of self-reported hearing difficulty, adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83-0.91, p < .001). There was marginal negative association between higher SEP and receiving hearing aid recommendation (adjusted OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.78-0.99, p = .05). SEP was not associated with any other stage of health-seeking behavior.DISCUSSION: Among the noninstitutionalized older population of England, SEP-related inequalities exist in the prevalence of self-reported hearing loss. However, SEP is not strongly associated with progression in the remaining stages of health-seeking process during and after an individual's contact with the health system.

KW - Aged

KW - Aged, 80 and over

KW - Cross-Sectional Studies

KW - England/epidemiology

KW - Female

KW - Hearing Aids/statistics & numerical data

KW - Hearing Loss/epidemiology

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data

KW - Prevalence

KW - Self Report

KW - Social Class

U2 - 10.1093/geronb/gbu024

DO - 10.1093/geronb/gbu024

M3 - A1: Web of Science-article

C2 - 24663332

SN - 1079-5014

VL - 70

SP - 443

EP - 452

JO - Journals of Gerontology. Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences

JF - Journals of Gerontology. Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences

IS - 3

ER -

Socioeconomic Position and Health-Seeking Behavior for Hearing Loss Among Older Adults in England

Abstract

Keywords

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