Mean hearing thresholds among school children in Taiwan

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Pediatric Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Hearing loss is a significant public health concern in school-aged children.
• Early identification and intervention are crucial for academic and social development.
• Understanding regional hearing health disparities is essential for targeted public health initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the mean hearing thresholds of school-aged children in Taipei City's Datong and Jhongshan Districts.
• To identify potential risk factors associated with hearing impairments in this population.

Main Methods:

• A stratified sample of 1411 students (grades 1, 4, 7, 10) participated.
• Audiometric testing (0.5-4 kHz) and tympanometric screening were conducted.
• Data were analyzed by grade, gender, ear, and frequency.

Main Results:

• Mean hearing thresholds ranged from 6.8 to 16.7 dB HL, with poorer thresholds at 0.5 kHz.
• Boys exhibited higher hearing thresholds than girls across all tested frequencies.
• Grade 1 students, boys, and those with left-ear impairments had higher odds of hearing loss.

Conclusions:

• Mean hearing thresholds exceeded the recommended pure-tone average of 15 dB HL.
• The findings suggest a need to investigate the etiology of hearing loss in these school-aged children.
• Further research is warranted to address hearing health in Taiwanese children.