Auditory Changes in the Aged: A Follow‐Up Study

ABSTRACT: Auditory thresholds for pure‐tones and spondee words were examined in 92 community volunteers seen in a seven‐year follow‐up study. Hearing levels for speech material did not change as much with increasing age as did hearing for pure‐tones. Analysis by age, sex, and race showed that blacks had superior hearing to whites, particularly men, but in general the rate of loss over time was about the same. From about age 74, men of both races had better hearing than women at the frequencies generally considered important for speech reception, but the sex differences were not reflected in their hearing for speech material. As expected, women had better hearing than men at the high tones; however, when race was considered, the hearing patterns for black men resembled those of women. During the seven‐year period, the pattern of hearing decrement was different for men and women. 1972 The American Geriatrics Society