Prevalence and determinants of hearing disability among older persons in Malaysia: Finding of National Health Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2018

Aim An aging population is a potential burden for unprepared developing countries. Malaysia is foreseen to be an aging country by 2035. Thus, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with hearing disability among older persons in Malaysia. Methods Data from a nationwide survey implemented using a stratified cluster sampling design were analyzed. This study was carried out through face‐to‐face interviews and guided questionnaires. The questions were based on the Washington Group of Disability (WG) questionnaires, which produce multiple disability identifiers. Hearing disability is defined as at least one domain or question out of four questions coded as “A lot of difficulty” or “Cannot hear at all”. Results The prevalence of hearing disability among older persons aged ≥60 years was 6.4% (95% CI 5.0–8.3), whereas 1.5% (95% CI 0.90, 2.50) older persons were reported to be using a hearing aid. The determinants of hearing disability are being male (aOR 2.67, 95% CI 1.94–3.66), being unemployed (retired, homemaker, unemployed; aOR 1.86, 95% CI 1.86–4.14) and had no formal education (aOR 18.25, 95% CI 4.18–79.55). Conclusions Promoting healthy aging is important and crucial for Malaysia, in preparation toward an aging nation, as it could reduce the country's financial burden in the long term. Health‐related agencies should promote health awareness and treatment centers in relation to hearing disability among older persons, as they should be educated and informed about healthcare choices availability, which is aligned with the Global Disability Action Plan 2014–2021. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 43–48.