Hearing loss is associated with cognitive decline in older adults. Research has shown that hearing loss negatively affects cognitive screening test measures as patients may mishear verbally administered questions. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the impact of amplification on performance on a commonly used cognitive screening test. Thirty older adults with hearing loss underwent testing with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in three conditions: without hearing aids, with hearing aids, and with a personal listening device (PLD). Performance on the MMSE significantly improved with the use of hearing aids or a PLD. Amplification and the use of communication strategies should be considered when administering cognitive screening measures to older adults. Failure to account for hearing status may lead to invalid results and can increase the likelihood of over-referral for further assessment. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 48(7), 31–37.]

听力损失与老年人的认知能力下降有关。研究表明，听力损失会对认知筛查测试措施产生负面影响，因为患者可能会听错口头提出的问题。本研究的目的是调查放大对常用认知筛查测试表现的影响。30 名患有听力损失的老年人在三种情况下接受了简易精神状态检查 (MMSE) 的测试：不使用助听器、使用助听器和使用个人听力设备 (PLD)。使用助听器或 PLD 显着提高了 MMSE 的性能。在对老年人进行认知筛查时，应考虑扩大和使用沟通策略。未能考虑听力状态可能会导致无效结果，并可能增加过度转诊以进行进一步评估的可能性。[老年护理杂志，48（7），31-37。]