J Korean Med Sci.  2015 Aug;30(8):1175-1182. 10.3346/jkms.2015.30.8.1175.

Analysis of Predisposing Factors for Hearing Loss in Adults

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea. hjk1000@hallym.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kyungpook National University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
  • 3Department of Statistics, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.

Abstract

We aimed to estimate the effects of various risk factors on hearing level in Korean adults, using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We examined data from 13,369 participants collected between 2009 and 2011. Average hearing thresholds at low (0.5, 1, and 2 kHz) and high frequencies (3, 4, and 6 kHz), were investigated in accordance with various known risk factors via multiple regression analysis featuring complex sampling. We additionally evaluated data from 4,810 participants who completed a questionnaire concerned with different types of noise exposure. Low body mass index, absence of hyperlipidemia, history of diabetes mellitus, low incomes, low educational status, and smoking were associated with elevated low frequency hearing thresholds. In addition, male sex, low body mass index, absence of hyperlipidemia, low income, low educational status, smoking, and heavy alcohol consumption were associated with elevated high frequency hearing thresholds. Participants with a history of earphone use in noisy circumstances demonstrated hearing thresholds which were 1.024 dB (95% CI: 0.176 to 1.871; P = 0.018) higher, at low-frequencies, compared to participants without a history of earphone use. Our study suggests that low BMI, absence of hyperlipidemia, low household income, and low educational status are related with hearing loss in Korean adults. Male sex, smoking, and heavy alcohol use are related with high frequency hearing loss. A history of earphone use in noisy circumstances is also related with hearing loss.

Keyword

Hearing Loss; Sensorineural; Noise; Epidemiology

MeSH Terms

Adult
Alcohol Drinking/*epidemiology
Causality
Comorbidity
Diabetes Mellitus
Disease Susceptibility
Educational Status
Employment/statistics & numerical data
Female
Hearing Loss/*diagnosis/*epidemiology
Hearing Tests/statistics & numerical data
Humans
Income/statistics & numerical data
Male
*Noise
Occupational Exposure/*statistics & numerical data
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Risk Factors
Sex Distribution
Smoking/*epidemiology
Surveys and Questionnaires

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Mean pure-tone thresholds among Korean adults, according to various factors. (A) Mean pure-tone thresholds among Korean adults, according to history of diabetes mellitus (DM). (B) Mean pure-tone thresholds among Korean adults, according to smoking history. Participants who smoked less than 5 packs of cigarettes during their lifetime demonstrated significantly inferior hearing thresholds, at all frequencies, compared to non-smokers. Participants who smoked more than 5 packs of cigarettes during their lifetime demonstrated significantly inferior hearing thresholds at high frequencies compared to non-smokers. (C) Mean pure-tone thresholds among Korean adults, according to body mass index (BMI). Participants with a low BMI (<18.5) had significantly inferior hearing thresholds at all frequencies compared to those with a high BMI (≥ 25), except at 1 kHz. (D) Mean pure-tone thresholds among Korean adults, according to household income. Participants with low household incomes (≤ 2,000 dollars) demonstrated inferior hearing thresholds at all frequencies compared to participants with high household incomes (≥ 4,000 dollars). *P < 0.02.


Cited by  1 articles

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