Modifiable Risk Factors and Hearing Loss: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2020

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Hearing loss is a growing public health concern.
• Modifiable risk factors are increasingly recognized as contributors to hearing loss.
• Understanding these associations is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between key modifiable risk factors and the prevalence of hearing loss.
• To quantify the proportion of hearing loss attributable to these modifiable factors.

Main Methods:

• A serial cross-sectional study utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in the United States (1999-2020).
• Inclusion of 8,770 adults aged 40-85 years.
• Modified Poisson regression and population attributable fraction (PAF) analyses were employed to assess associations.

Main Results:

• Hearing loss was significantly associated with low educational attainment (PR=1.23), low income (PR=1.11), diabetes (PR=1.10), HDL-C dyslipidaemia (PR=1.13), obesity (PR=1.08), and tobacco use (PR=1.11).
• Over 25% of hearing loss cases in the study population were attributed to these modifiable risk factors.
• Low education/income, HDL-C dyslipidaemia, obesity, and tobacco use were identified as leading contributors.

Conclusions:

• Modifiable risk factors significantly contribute to the burden of hearing loss.
• Hearing health promotion policies should prioritize interventions targeting these identified modifiable factors.
• Public health initiatives can effectively reduce hearing loss prevalence by addressing educational, economic, metabolic, and lifestyle factors.