The prevalence of hearing loss in South Korea: Data from a population-based study

Jun, Hyung Jin; Hwang, Soon Young; Lee, Soo H.; Lee, Ji E.; Song, Jae Jun; Chae, Soo-Cheon

doi:10.1002/lary.24913

Cited by 55 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…This difference can be explained partially by the fact that we excluded any participants with abnormal tympanic membrane in this study. A recent KHANES study of the same period showed that the prevalence of hearing loss in Korean population was 22.7%, when tympanic membrane abnormalities were included [17]. Similarly, recent work has demonstrated that 20.3% of Americans 12 years and older have hearing loss (NHANES 2001–2008) [16].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Normative Hearing Threshold Levels in Koreans with Normal Tympanic Membranes and Estimated Prevalence of Hearing Loss

Park

Yoo

Baek

et al. 2017

Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol

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Objectives We investigated the normative data on the hearing threshold levels of Koreans with normal tympanic membranes and the prevalence of hearing loss (HL) and nonserviceable hearing using the data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) during 2010–2012.Methods Data obtained from 16,673 participants ≥12-year-of-age with normal tympanic membranes who completed audiometric testing. We defined HL as the pure tone average (PTA) >25 dB hearing level at 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 Hz and non-serviceable hearing as PTA >40 dB hearing level.Results The hearing levels at some frequencies (0.5, 3, and 6 kHz) did not differ in between the 10’s and 20’s, but the hearing thresholds at all frequencies increased gradually from the 30’s. The hearing thresholds were higher in men than in women at high frequencies (3, 4, and 6 kHz) in the 30’s and older. The prevalence of HL in either ear was 16.5% (estimates of 5.9 million), from 2.4% in the 10’s up to 75.4% in the 70’s and older. The prevalence of nonserviceable hearing in either ear was 6.8% (estimates of 2.5 million) and that of bilateral nonserviceable hearing was 2.5% (estimates of 0.9 million).Conclusion Hearing loss aggravated from the 30’s at all frequencies and men showed poorer hearing levels than women at high frequencies. Hearing loss was a common condition and the prevalence of non-serviceable hearing in either ear, which needs hearing rehabilitation to help social communication, was 6.8%. Normative pure tone thresholds at each frequency can be used as referent values when counseling patients complaining of hearing loss.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Normative Hearing Threshold Levels in Koreans with Normal Tympanic Membranes and Estimated Prevalence of Hearing Loss

Park

Yoo

Baek

et al. 2017

Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol

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“…In another subgroup analysis, we grouped participants according to income level (low income [1–4], middle income [5–8], and high income [9–11]). Two-tailed analyses were conducted, and P values less than 0.05 were considered to indicate significance.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hearing impairment is one of the most common disorders, with prevalences of 22.73% and 21.7% in the general Korean and US populations, respectively [1,2]. In addition, 9.2% of Korean adults showed moderate-to-profound hearing impairment [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Severe hearing impairment and risk of depression: A national cohort study

Kim

Park

et al. 2017

PLoS ONE

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ObjectiveHearing impairment is suggested to be associated with depression in the elderly. The present study evaluated the risk of depression after hearing impairment in all age groups matched by age, sex, income, and region of residence.MethodsThe Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service—National Patient Samples were collected for a period from 2002 to 2013. Hearing impairment was defined as a hearing threshold ≥ 60 dB in both ears or as ≥ 80 dB in one ear and ≥ 40 dB in one ear. Hearing-impaired participants performed a pure tone audiometry test 3 times and an auditory brainstem response threshold test once. The 6,136 hearing-impaired participants were matched 1:4 with 24,544 controls with no reported hearing impairment for age, sex, income, and region of residence. Depression was investigated based on the International Classification of Disease-10 codes F31 (bipolar affective disorder) through F39 (unspecified mood disorder) by a psychiatrist from 2002 through 2013. The crude (simple) and adjusted (age, sex, income, region of residence, dementia, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia) hazard ratio (HR) of hearing impairment on depression were analyzed using Cox-proportional hazard model.ResultsThe rate of depression was significantly higher in the severe hearing-impaired group than in the control group (7.9% vs. 5.7%, P < 0.001). Severe hearing impairment increased the risk of depression (adjusted HR = 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.24–1.52, P < 0.001). In a subgroup analysis, young (0–29 years old), middle-aged (30–59 years old), and old (≥ 60 years old) severe hearing-impaired groups showed significantly increased risk of depression compared to controls with no reported hearing impairment. In accordance with income level, severe hearing impairment elevated depression in the low and high income groups, but not in the middle income group.ConclusionSevere hearing impairment increased the risk of depression independently of age, sex, region, past medical histories, and income (in low and high income persons but not in middle income persons).

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“…It has been reported that two-thirds of individuals over the age of 70 years in the United States have a hearing impairment [2]. Similarly, it has been estimated that 84.9% of Koreans aged 80 years or older exhibit bilateral hearing impairment, while approximately 6% of the young individuals (younger than 50 years of age) presents bilateral hearing impairment [3]. Due to the high prevalence of hearing impairment, the proper interpretation of self-reported hearing loss is crucial for predicting audiometric hearing loss.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discrepancy between self-assessed hearing status and measured audiometric evaluation

Kim

et al. 2017

PLoS ONE

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ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to examine the difference between self-reported hearing status and hearing impairment assessed using conventional audiometry. The associated factors were examined when a concordance between self-reported hearing and audiometric measures was lacking.MethodsIn total, 19,642 individuals ≥20 years of age who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys conducted from 2009 through 2012 were enrolled. Pure-tone hearing threshold audiometry (PTA) was measured and classified into three levels: <25 dB (normal hearing); ≥25 dB <40 dB (mild hearing impairment); and ≥40 dB (moderate-to-severe hearing impairment). The self-reported hearing loss was categorized into 3 categories. The participants were categorized into three groups: the concordance (matched between self-reported hearing loss and audiometric PTA), overestimation (higher self-reported hearing loss compared to audiometric PTA), and underestimation groups (lower self-reported hearing loss compared to audiometric PTA). The associations of age, sex, education level, stress level, anxiety/depression, tympanic membrane (TM) status, hearing aid use, and tinnitus with the discrepancy between the hearing self-reported hearing loss and audiometric pure tone threshold results were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression analysis with complex sampling.ResultsOverall, 80.1%, 7.1%, and 12.8% of the participants were assigned to the concordance, overestimation, and underestimation groups, respectively. Older age (adjusted odds ratios [AORs] = 1.28 [95% confidence interval = 1.19–1.37] and 2.80 [2.62–2.99] for the overestimation and the underestimation groups, respectively), abnormal TM (2.17 [1.46–3.23] and 1.59 [1.17–2.15]), and tinnitus (2.44 [2.10–2.83] and 1.61 [1.38–1.87]) were positively correlated with both the overestimation and underestimation groups. Compared with specialized workers, service workers, manual workers, and the unemployed were more likely to be in the overestimation group (1.48 [1.11–1.98], 1.39 [1.04–1.86], and 1.50 [1.18–1.90], respectively), and service workers were more likely to be in the underestimation group (AOR = 1.42 [1.01–1.99]). Higher education level (0.77 [0.59–1.01] and 0.43 [0.33–0.57]) and hearing aid use (0.36 [0.17–0.77] and 0.23 [0.13–0.43]) were negatively associated with being in the underestimation group (0.43 [0.37–0.50]). Compared with males, females were less likely to be assigned to the underestimation group (0.43 [0.37–0.50]). Stress (1.98 [1.32–2.98]) and anxiety/depression (1.30 [1.06–1.59]) were associated with overestimation group.ConclusionOlder age, lower education level, occupation, abnormal TM, non-hearing aid use, and tinnitus were related to both overestimation and underestimation groups. Male gender was related to underestimation, and stress and anxiety/depression were correlated with overestimation group. An understanding of these factors associated with the self-reported hearing loss will be instrumental to identifying and managing hearin...

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The prevalence of hearing loss in South Korea: Data from a population-based study

Abstract: The prevalence of hearing loss in South Korea was higher in men and older participants according to the data collected from the KNHANES. The patterns of hearing loss differed between hearing loss at speech-relevant frequencies and at high frequencies.

Cited by 55 publications

References 21 publications

Normative Hearing Threshold Levels in Koreans with Normal Tympanic Membranes and Estimated Prevalence of Hearing Loss

Normative Hearing Threshold Levels in Koreans with Normal Tympanic Membranes and Estimated Prevalence of Hearing Loss

Severe hearing impairment and risk of depression: A national cohort study

Discrepancy between self-assessed hearing status and measured audiometric evaluation

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