Demographic and Hearing Related Variables Important for Prediction of Disabling Hearing Impairment: A Community Based Survey

Aim: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of Disabling Hearing impairment and describe socio-demographic and hearing related risk factors as possible predictors of disabling hearing impairment.
Study Design: This was a Cross-sectional and descriptive study
Place and Duration of Study: A semi-urban district called Kumbotso in Kano state, Northern Nigeria. 3rd March 2013.
Methodology: Data came from 58 participants, (39 females, 19 males; age range 5-50 years) who completed audiometric testing during the Ear diseases/Hearing impairment survey. Audiometric testing was performed on the participants, air-conduction hearing thresholds in decibels hearing level (dB HL) were obtained for each ear at frequencies of 0.5- 4kHz. Disabling Hearing loss was defined as pure-tone average of air conduction thresholds of ≥ 35dB HL for adults and children while identifying independent risk factors using logistic regression.
Results: Out of 91 subjects, 58 subjects had pure tone audiometry giving a participation rate of 63.7% with a prevalence rate for disabling hearing loss of 31%. Controlling for gender, duration of hearing impairment, family history and relationship with subject with hearing loss, odds ratio for associations with Disabling Hearing impairment were 14.57 (95% CI: 2.14-99.44) for age and 61.55 (5.60-112.82) for aetiology of hearing loss. These variables particularly young age and ear diseases were the strongest predictors.
Conclusion: Age, aetiology of hearing loss particularly, young age and the presence of ear disease are potential indicators for the development of disabling hearing impairment/loss during rural and/or community-based surveys.