Association between hepatitis A B vaccination and hearing loss across frequencies based on NHANES

This study investigates the relationship between hepatitis A and B vaccinations and hearing loss, along with Pure Tone Average (PTA). Data from 5553 U.S. adults aged 20-69 in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles 2011-2012 and 2015-2016 were analyzed using multivariate regression to assess vaccination status effects on hearing loss and PTA. After adjustment for confounders, ≥ 2 doses of hepatitis A vaccine showed a significant inverse association with speech-frequency hearing loss (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.60-0.97). ≥ 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine correlated positively with right ear low-frequency PTA (β 1.22, 95% CI 0.24-2.20). Subgroup analyses indicated that hepatitis A vaccine benefits females and Hispanic individuals, while hepatitis B impacts are more pronounced in non-Hispanic whites, married individuals, and smokers. Mediation analysis excluded antibody mediation in these associations. Adequate hepatitis A vaccination protects against speech-frequency hearing loss, whereas hepatitis B vaccination may increase low-frequency PTA in the right ear. These findings highlight the importance of hearing health monitoring in specific populations and warrant further research into underlying mechanisms.