Table 4.
Self-assessed ability to communicate and read from the KAS-Screen, % (n)
| Variables (questions from the KAS-Screen) | No, not usually | Yes, usually | Missing responses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Difficulties performing ADL/IADL because of vision or hearing | 75.3 (70) | 17.3 (16) | 7 |
| People talk too fast, too quietly, or unclearly | 41.0 (38) | 59.0 (55) | 0 |
| Difficult to understand when many are present | 26.9 (25) | 72.1 (67) | 1 |
| Difficult to understand dialects | 37.7 (35) | 62.4 (58) | 0 |
| Need to look at the face | 73.2 (68) | 26.9 (25) | 0 |
| Hearing inhibits conversation | 84.9 (79) | 15.1 (14) | 0 |
| Difficult to speak on the phone | 75.3 (70) | 24.8 (23) | 0 |
| Difficult to speak with strangers | 65.6 (61) | 34.5 (32) | 0 |
| Can read newspaper headlines | 6.4 (6) | 93.5 (87) | 0 |
| Can read regular newspaper print | 20.4 (19) | 79.2 (74) | 0 |
| Can read very small print | 40.9 (38) | 59.1 (55) | 0 |
| It is tiring to read | 67.7 (63) | 29.0 (27) | 3 |
| Can see and hear text and pictures on television | 10.0 (9) | 90.0 (83) | 2 |
| Difficult to recognize because of vision | 70.9 (66) | 29.1 (27) | 0 |
| Can hear radio/television/music-player | 13.0 (12) | 85.0 (79) | 2 |
| Can hear doorbell | 95.7 (89) | 2.2 (2) | 2 |
| Can hear fire-alarm/alarm | 68.8 (64) | 30.1 (28) | 1 |
| Can you see/hear what time it is | 98.9 (92) | 1.1 (1) | 0 |
| Is it easy to bump into or stumble | 75.3 (70) | 24.8 (23) | 0 |
| Vision is an obstacle to moving indoors in familiar places | 92.5 (86) | 7.6 (7) | 0 |
Abbreviations: KAS, Kombinert Alvorlig Sansesvikt (Combined Serious Sensory Impariment); ADL, activities of daily living; IADL, instrumental activities of daily living.