A 5 Minute Hearing Test, Especially for Seniors
Answer each of the following questions.
Scoring guide at bottom of page.
1. I have a problem hearing over the telephone.
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
2. I have trouble following the conversation when two or more people are talking at the same time.
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
3. People complain that I turn the TV volume too high.
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
4. I have to strain to understand conversations.
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
5. I miss hearing some common sounds like the phone or doorbell ringing.
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
6. I have trouble hearing conversations in a noisy background such as a party.
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
7. I get confused about where sounds come from
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
8. I misunderstand some words in a sentence and need to ask people to repeat themselves.
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
9. I especially have trouble understanding the speech of women and children.
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
10. I have worked in noisy environments (assembly line, jackhammers, jet engines, ect.)
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
11. Many people I talk to seem to mumble (or don’t speak clearly).
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
12. People get annoyed because I misunderstand what they say.
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
13. I misunderstand what others are saying and make inappropriate responses.
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
14. I avoid social activities because I cannot hear well and fear I’ll reply improperly.
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
To be answered by a family member or friend: 15. Do you think this person has a hearing loss?
- Almost Always
- Half of the time
- Occasionally
- Never
SCORING
To calculate your score, give yourself 3 points for every time you checked the “Almost always” column, 2 for every “Half the time,” 1 for every “Occasionally,” and 0 for every “Never.” If you have a blood relative who has a hearing loss, add another 3 points. Then total your points.
The American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery recommends the following:
0 to 5 – Your hearing is fine. No action is required.
6 to 9 – Suggest you see an ear-nose-and-throat (ENT) specialist.
10 and above – Strongly recommend you see an ear physician.
This quiz was field- tested on 71 older patients in five cities; audiograms were also run on them. Results showed that those whose quiz scores indicated a need to see a physician were confirmed, on the audiogram, as having a hearing impairment. Mark the column that best describes the frequency with which you experience each situation or feeling.
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