Conductive hearing loss: life satisfaction and depression in the aged adult

The three problems studied were: Is there a difference in the (a) number of frequencies heard at 25 decibels (db) and 40 db, (b) Life Satisfaction Index-A (LSI-A) scores, and (c) Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores of the aged adult 14 days pretreatment, immediately pretreatment, and 14 days after the treatment of cerumen removal to increase conductive hearing.

Test measures of the 38 female subjects of a retirement center included hearing tests with a Beltone audiometer, administration of the LSI-A and the SDS. Effects of the treatment of ear irrigation to remove impacted cerumen were studied.

Pretreatment testing showed no significant differences. Significant posttreatment differences were found in number of frequencies heard in the right ear at 40 db, the left ear at 25 and 40 db, and Life Satisfaction Index-A scores. No significant difference was found in the number of frequencies heard in the right ear at 25 db, or in the Self-Rating Depression Scale scores.