Hearing Impairment Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

Hearing impairment (HI) is a common problem in adults but there have been few studies of hearing in the U.S. Hispanic/Latino population. Little is known about factors associated with HI among Hispanics/Latinos

Hearing Impairment Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

IMPORTANCE: Hearing impairment (HI) is a common problem in adults but there have been few studies of hearing in the U.S. Hispanic/Latino population. Little is known about factors associated with HI among Hispanics/Latinos. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of HI among U.S. Hispanic/Latino adults of diverse backgrounds and determine associations with sociodemographic factors, noise exposure, diabetes, smoking, cardiovascular disease, and other potential risk factors. DESIGN AND SETTING: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) is a population-based sample of Hispanics/Latinos in four U.S. communities (Bronx, NY, Chicago, IL, Miami, FL, and San Diego, CA). Examinations were conducted in 2008–2011. PARTICIPANTS: The HCHS/SOL examined 16,415 self-identified Hispanic/Latino persons aged 18 to 74 years recruited from randomly selected households using a stratified 2-stage area probability sample design based on census block groups and households within block groups. INTERVENTION(S): None MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURES: Hearing thresholds were measured by pure-tone audiometry. HI was defined as a pure-tone average (PTA) of thresholds at 0.5,1,2,4 kHz >25 dB HL. Bilateral hearing impairment (BHI) required a PTA>25 dB HL in both ears. Multivariable analyses included adjustments for sociodemographic and lifestyle variables, body mass index, and medical conditions. RESULTS: The prevalence of HI was 15.1% overall and 8.2% had BHI. The prevalence of HI was higher among people aged 45 and older, ranging by Hispanic/Latino background from 29–41% among men and 18–31% among women. The multivariable-adjusted odds of HI was greater for participants of Puerto Rican background compared to Mexican background (OR =1.57, 95%CI=1.10, 2.25). The odds of HI were lower with more education and higher income. People with noise exposure were about 30% more likely to have HI. Diabetes (OR=1.57, 95%CI= 1.27, 1.94) and pre-diabetes (OR=1.37, 95%CI= 1.12, 1.67) were associated with higher odds of HI. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: HI is a common problem for older Hispanics/Latinos in these communities and is associated with socioeconomic factors, noise exposure and abnormal glucose metabolism. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine if these factors are involved in the etiology of HI and to identify ways to prevent or delay age-related changes in hearing