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According to a report published in the July 28 issue of Archives
of Internal Medicine, the prevalence of hearing loss in
American adults may be higher than previously thought.
It is widely accepted that hearing
impairment is a highly common condition, and it is considered by many
to be a
societal problem. The aging population of the Unites States and the
increase in use of personal listening devices (such as hearing aids)
have been indicators that the incidence of this condition has risen
significantly. People who suffer from the disabling condition
of hearing loss have difficulty processing verbal language and have
limited communication and social connectivity. The authors of this
recent study add that, "Such communication difficulties negatively
affect work productivity, health-related quality of life and cognitive
and emotional status. These disabilities impede health care access and
use, with possible adverse consequences to health and survival."
As few studies exist addressing the incidence of hearing loss in the
US, Yuri Agrawal, M.D. (Johns
Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore) and colleagues conducted an investigation
to further analyze the topic. The researchers used a sample of 5,742
America, aged 20 to 69, who participated in a large
national survey - including hearing tests - from 1999 to 2004. Major
outcome measures were hearing
loss of 25 decibels or higher at several different frequencies: speech
frequencies (0.5, 1, 2 and 4
kilohertz) and at high frequencies (3, 4 and 6 kilohertz). Statistical
controls were implemented to adjust for demographic
characteristics and known risk factors that may affect hearing loss,
such as smoking, noise
exposure, and cardiovascular conditions.
The study reveled that about 16.1% of American adults, or about 29
million American, had speech frequency hearing loss between 2003 and
2004. About 8.9% exhibited the condition in one ear, and 7.3% in both
ears. "Thirty-one percent of participants (equivalent to an
estimated 55 million Americans) had high-frequency hearing loss [12
percent in one ear and 19 percent in both]," write the authors. In
general, younger people presented hearing loss at a lower rate than
older people. For examples, 8.5% of those aged 20 to 29 had high
frequency hearing loss compared to 17% of participants aged 30 to 39.
The researchers also broke down results by race and sex. They found
that compared to women, men were five and one half times more likely to
have hearing loss. White and Mexican American men were noted as having
the highest incidence of both high-frequency hearing loss and hearing
loss in both ears. On the other hand, black participants were 70
percent less likely than white participants to present
hearing loss. "Increases in hearing loss prevalence
occurred earlier among participants with smoking, noise exposure and
cardiovascular risks," note Agrawal and colleagues.
"The results of our
study suggest that prevention (through risk factor reduction) and
screening must begin at least in young adulthood and that efforts
should be intensified among white and Mexican American men," conclude
the researchers. "Hearing loss reduces health-related quality of life
and access to health care." They recommend public prevention and
management programs to reduce the incidence of hearing loss.
Prevalence of Hearing Loss
and Differences by Demographic Characteristics Among US Adults: Data
From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2004
Yuri Agrawal; Elizabeth A. Platz; John K. Niparko
Archives of Internal Medicine (2008).
168[14]: pp. 1522-1530.
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Written by: Peter M Crosta
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
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