Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly
Also written as: HHIE — Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly
A validated self-report questionnaire measuring the social and emotional consequences of hearing loss in adults aged 65 and older.
Full Definition
The Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE) is a 25-item self-assessment tool developed by Ventry and Weinstein (1982) to quantify the psychosocial impact of hearing impairment in older adults. A screening version (HHIE-S) contains 10 items. Scores range from 0 (no handicap) to 100 (maximum handicap), with higher scores indicating greater disability. Editors must render the acronym as HHIE and the screening version as HHIE-S, with the hyphen retained. It is widely used as an outcome measure in aural rehabilitation studies.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish from HHIA (Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults), which is used for working-age adults. The screening short form takes a hyphenated suffix: HHIE-S.
In Context
- "Mean HHIE scores improved significantly from pre- to post-rehabilitation (p < 0.001), indicating reduced self-perceived handicap." — Research article results section
- "The HHIE-S (10-item screening version) was administered by telephone prior to the clinic appointment." — Clinical protocol document