Hearing impairment determinants in adults

Abstract

Background: Hearing impairment (also known as hearing loss) is now firmly established as a public health problem. It is considered as disabling disease in many countries, and for this reason, the investigations for the risk factors that are associated with this disorder are very important. Aim: To establish the risk factors of adults hearing loss and its preventive measures .Method: In a retrospective analysis case-control study , medical records of 100 patients who had a hearing impairment (cases) and 100 patients who had not hearing loss were taken in ENT
outpatient at AL Basrah teaching hospital. They were unmatched individuals for both age and sex and they were evaluated between March and September, 2019. The data was mainly obtained from cases and controls by the investigator through direct interview procedure. Result: In this study the majority of cases of hearing loss was gradual in onset ( 97 %), bilaterally located (72 %) and of a mixed type (48 %). Finding about the association of gender with hearing loss in the current study express that hearing loss had a positive significant association with the male gender .(O.R=2.125, P value=0.015, C.I= 1.15-3.94);with male :female ratio about 2:1. The highest age specific groups of the cases were > 45 years old which constitute about 67% with mean age group 51±14.09. The result of the present study indicate a highly positive significant association between hearing loss and partial skilled occupation. A person who exposed to stress and economic factors was found to be around 2-3 times more prone to develop hearing loss. Hearing loss had a positive significant association with the illiterate persons. A positive family
history is found to be a significant risk factor in the development of hearing loss. A highly significant relation between noise exposure and the development hearing loss. The result of the present study indicate a significant association between current smoking &passive smoking and the development of hearing loss . A positive association between hearing loss and, manual skilled occupation, geographical mobility, urbanization, overcrowding houses, diuretics, and NSAIDs drugs history were founded. Conclusion: Age more than 45 years old was highly
associated with development of hearing loss . males sex are more common than females sex in the distribution of cases of hearing loss in a ratio about 2:1 .In this work ,partially skilled occupations , Currently and passively cigarettes smokers, carried a high positive significant association with hearing loss ; while semiprofessionals and unskilled occupations Family history of hearing loss, type A personality, presence of life stressors, economical factors excessive noise exposure, type II D.M Illiterates, carried Amino glycoside drugs users had a significant protective association with hearing loss .