Hearing loss and physical function in the general population: A cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Audiology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Hearing loss is a significant public health issue.
• Physical function may play a role in maintaining hearing acuity.
• Understanding this relationship is crucial for preventative strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between hearing loss and physical function in the general population.
• To explore potential sex differences in this relationship.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 4766 health checkup participants in Japan.
• Pure-tone audiometry used to assess hearing loss (>30 dB at 1 kHz or >40 dB at 4 kHz).
• Physical function assessed via handgrip strength, vital capacity (VC), and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1).
• Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for age, BMI, and smoking status.

Main Results:

• Prevalence of hearing loss was 12.8%.
• In females, higher handgrip strength, VC, and FEV1 were significantly associated with lower odds of hearing loss.
• No significant associations were found between physical function and hearing loss in males.

Conclusions:

• Higher physical function is associated with a lower prevalence of hearing loss in females.
• Maintaining physical function may be important for hearing health in women.
• Further research is needed to understand sex differences in the physical function-hearing loss relationship.