Prevalence of hearing impairment and subjective hearing problems in a rural Danish population aged 31-50 years

The objective of the present study was to describe the prevalence of subjective hearing problems and hearing impairment and to evaluate the relation between subjective hearing problems and audiometric thresholds, in a random sample of subjects aged 31-50 years. The study is cross-sectional and based on data from questionnaires (N = 1397) and pure tone audiometry (N = 905) in the Ebeltoft Health Promotion Project in Denmark. Hearing problems were significantly more prevalent in males than females. Males had significantly poorer average audiometric thresholds (0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz) in the better hearing ear (BE) and worse hearing ear (WE) than females. Average audiometric thesholds were poorer in the 41-50-year-old age group compared with the 31-40-year-old age group, the difference being most marked in males. Overall prevalence of hearing impairment (at least two threshold levels >25 dB HL) was 7.4% (95% confidence interval: 5.7-9.1%) in BE and 15.9% (13.5-18.3%) in WE. Prevalence of impairment > or = 25, > or = 35 and > or = 45 dB HL (average across 0.5-4 kHz): (BE) 3.4% (2.2-4.6%), 1.0% (0.3-1.6%) and 0.2% (0.0-0.5%); (WE) 11.6% (9.5-13.7%), 3.6% (2.4-4.9%) and 1.7% (0.8-2.5%). An interesting sex difference was noted as females were aware of hearing problems at an earlier stage of impairment than males. In conclusion, hearing impairment is fairly prevalent in this young rural population, less prevalent, however, than in the British National Study of Hearing. It is proposed that general practitioners should take a more active part in primary prevention, early detection of hearing impairment and early referral for rehabilitation.