GPs Encouraged to Check Patients Hearing Loss to Avoid Miscommunication

Nearly one in four older Australians (21 per cent) say they experience difficulties when visiting their General Practitioner (GP) due to their hearing loss, according to new research by Australian Hearing.1

The research, which surveyed over 1,300 Australians aged over 50, suggests that healthcare professionals may need to consider additional types of communication with hearing impaired patients to ensure compliance with medication directions.

As a result of poor hearing, 14 per cent of those surveyed said they felt embarrassed to ask their GP to repeat sentences and 10 per cent find it hard to follow directions about medications2.

Janette Thorburn, Principal Audiologist from Australian Hearing says it is worrying that people with poor hearing could be at risk of misinterpreting medical advice simply because they are embarrassed to ask their GP to repeat instructions.

“It’s important for GPs to confirm with patients who have hearing difficulties that they have fully understood their instructions,” Janette said.

The survey also revealed that nearly half of Australians aged 50 and older who have been diagnosed with hearing loss wait for over four years to take action3.

“Older Australians display a lack of urgency for their hearing health because they don’t believe their hearing is bad enough or simply put up with the problem, because it isn’t their top priority,’ Janette added. “We encourage people to take early action when it comes to hearing problems. It’s a good idea to include a hearing check as a part of your regular health regime and GPs play an important role in this. “Referring a patient for a hearing screening is a simple process and could significantly enhance the quality of your patient's life,” Janette said.

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