Important health information is missed by around 43% of patients over the age of 60, as reported by recent research. Significant details, with regards to health care, might be missed due to hearing loss.
Hearing Loss – A Worldwide Epidemic
Hearing loss is a major problem. Debilitating hearing loss is a problem worldwide for around a third of people who are 65 or older.
If we take it further, we discover that surprisingly only around 30% of those same senior citizens suffering from hearing loss have, or use, solutions that would improve their hearing. This pattern isn’t good news for medical care as we’ll illustrate next.
With Health Care – Communication is Key
Miscommunication is one of the leading causes of medical errors, and medical errors are still one of the leading causes of death. A study from Harvard revealed that as many as 37% of serious injuries that resulted from medical errors could have been prevented with better communication. An improved ability to communicate essential information with patients could save lives.
How Medical Care is Impacted by Hearing Loss
Statistics can be a little abstract and intangible so let’s look at significant information you might miss when speaking with pharmacists, nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals.
Doctors and nurses advise you regarding specific health objectives. Perhaps they’re explaining healthy insulin or blood pressure levels. There are certain things that can be harmful if they are not controlled in a way that your health care professional advises. You might be missing essential pieces of advice that would help you manage your situation.
These medical providers may explain danger zones that suggest that you need medical care. You may not get the assistance that you need because you didn’t completely understand what your doctor was explaining.
There may be important details about dangerous side effects of medications which your pharmacist is trying to make you aware of. You believe you heard everything but you miss a critical detail and wind up hospitalized.
Your physical therapist puts you on a strength-building program but warns you against a certain activity. You could suffer a serious fall because you missed that advice.
Why Communicating Medical Details is Particularly Demanding
Putting medical information in the proper context is especially difficult. When you have hearing loss, you utilize context to “fill in the blanks” where you missed something. Compensating for hearing loss is something your brain is actually pretty good at. So good, as a matter of fact, that it may even convince you that you heard something you didn’t really hear.
The meaning of a sentence can be entirely changed, when addressing medical information, with something as simple as a “don’t” or “not”. One number misunderstood could completely change a dosage, a goal, or a danger zone.
The smallest detail makes a big difference when it comes to medical care. When those little details are missed, it can produce severe medical issues.
Having Your Hearing Loss Treated
You could be missing crucial medical advice if you suffer from hearing loss. Now is the time to take the proper steps to conserve your hearing.