Comorbidity in adults with hearing difficulties: which chronic medical conditions are related to hearing impairment?

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the occurrence of 27 chronic medical conditions in a cohort of adults with and without hearing impairment, and to examine the association between these conditions and hearing ability.

DESIGN

The National Longitudinal Study on Hearing (NL-SH study) is a large prospective study among adults aged 18 to 70 years, conducted via the internet in the Netherlands. Hearing ability was measured with a digits-in-noise test and comorbidity was assessed through self-report.

STUDY SAMPLE

Cross-sectional data of 890 hearing-impaired and 975 normally-hearing adults were analyzed. Both descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

Of the NL-SH participants with insufficient or poor hearing ability, 78.5% reported to suffer from at least one additional chronic condition. This proportion was larger than in the normally-hearing group (68.6% with one or more chronic conditions and 37.7% with two or more). After adjustment for age and gender, 'dizziness causing falling', 'diabetes' and 'arthritis types other than osteoarthritis and rheumatic arthritis' were significantly associated with poor hearing ability.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that some previously reported associations do not only occur in older age groups, but also in younger cohorts. Comorbidity is relevant in the rehabilitation (multi-disciplinary care) and the clinical encounter.

Genetic and Non-genetic Workup for Pediatric Congenital Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is one of the most common concerns for presentation for a geneticist. Presentation prior to the age of one (congenital hearing loss), profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), and bilateral hearing loss are sensitive and should raise concern for genetic causes of hearing loss and prompt referral for genetic testing. Genetic testing particularly in this instance offers the opportunity for anticipatory guidance including possible course of the hearing loss over time and also connection and evaluation for additional congenital anomalies that may be associated with an underlying syndrome vs. isolated genetic hearing loss.

[Musculoskeletal, hearing and skin problems related to playing the instrument]

BACKGROUND

Physical demands, exposure to noise and intense contact of skin with musical instruments - inevitable in musicians' job - influence the development of musculoskeletal, hearing and skin problems. This paper aims at identifying playing-related health problems among Polish musicians and potential differences in this regard between students and professional musicians.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This questionnaire study involved 255 musicians who volunteered to participate - 104 students and 151 professional musicians having music education. The study sample included 61% of women. Mean age of the participants equaled 31 years old, mean playing experience - 23 years old.

RESULTS

From 10% to 79% (depending on the affected body part) of the studied musicians experienced musculoskeletal problems. Hearing (41% - tinnitus; 43% - hearing impairment and 52% - hyperacusis) and skin problems (69% - callosities, 58% - abrasions and 26% - allergic reactions) were reported less frequently and were assessed as less severe than musculoskeletal symptoms. The studied professionals assessed their hearing problems (hyperacusis, hearing impairment and tinnitus) as significantly more severe than reported by students. Young musicians, in turn, experienced more severe abrasions than the studied professional musicians. We found no significant differences between students and professionals as regards their musculoskeletal problems.

CONCLUSIONS

Playing-related health risks translate into relatively high prevalence of musculoskeletal as well as hearing and skin problems among musicians. Hence, it is essential for future studies to search for risk factors for these health problems as well as effective corrective and therapeutic measures. Med Pr 2018;69(4):383-394.

Prevalence and Regional Variations of Visual and Auditory Impairments Among Elderly Individuals in the Faroe Islands: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction

Aging is associated with the potential onset of vision and hearing problems, affecting the quality of life and functional independence of older adults. This study sought to investigate the prevalence of various vision and hearing problems in 76-year-old Faroese individuals and examine possible regional variations in these health issues.

Materials and Methods

A cross-sectional study design was used, surveying 175 participants, all 76-year-olds, from different regions in the Faroe Islands. Data were collected on demographics, educational level, and marital status, as well as seven indicators of vision problems and eight indicators of hearing problems. Differences by gender and region were tested by Pearson chi squared test and Fisher's exact test, Bonferroni corrected for multiple comparisons.

Results

Problems with seeing and hearing were widespread, difficulty reading small print was reported by 58% of participants, and 51% reported less than "good" hearing. Despite the high prevalence of issues, no significant difference was found between genders in terms of problem frequency.

Conclusion

This study underscores the high prevalence of vision and hearing issues among 76-year-old Faroese individuals, with no gender differences observed. The detected regional variations necessitate further investigation to better understand and address these health issues in older adults. Policymakers and health professionals should consider these findings in designing interventions to improve older adults' sensory health.

Association Between Unclean Cooking Fuel Use and Hearing Problems Among Adults Aged ≥ 65 Years, a Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Aims

Literature suggests that outdoor air pollutant exposure is associated with hearing problems, but examination of this link has not extended to any potential association between hearing ability and the use of unclean cooking fuels. The current paper investigates whether such a link exists, utilizing a large sample of older adults from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where such fuels are commonly used.

Methods

Data from the Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) were analyzed. This is a nationally representative and cross-sectional data set collected for the World Health Organization for residents of South Africa, China, Ghana, India, Mexico, and Russia. A range of "unclean" cooking fuels were assessed, namely agriculture or crop, animal dung, coal or charcoal, Kerosene or paraffin, shrubs or grass, and wood. Hearing problems referred to the interviewer-rated presence of this condition. Statistical analysis was done using multivariable logistic regression.

Results

The present work analyzed data from 14,585 individuals aged ≥ 65 years [mean (SD) age 72.6 (11.5) years; 55.0% females]. In the overall sample and in the final adjusted model, unclean cooking fuel use was associated with a significantly increased risk of hearing problems (OR = 1.68 (95% CI = 1.22-2.30). This association was significant for females (OR = 2.36; 95% CI = 1.53-3.63) but not for males (OR = 1.20; 95% CI = 0.79-1.81).

Conclusion

Unclean cooking fuel use is associated with an increased risk of hearing problems among adult residents of LMICs over 65 years of age, particularly among females. Findings from this study support the development of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (United Nations), which advocates for fairer and more sustainable access to modern energy, as well as a means to prevent avoidable hearing problems.

Hearing problems in humans and mouse models with rare copy number variants associated with schizophrenia: a scoping review protocol

Background

Hearing loss is a risk factor for developing auditory hallucinations and other psychosis symptoms. To date, very little research has investigated hearing loss in individuals with a high genetic risk of developing schizophrenia and other types of psychosis. 13 copy number variant (CNV) loci are robustly associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia. Of these, microdeletions at 22q11.2 often lead to some hearing loss, and mouse models of this CNV display impaired auditory functioning. We hypothesise that individuals who have a high genetic risk of schizophrenia may also experience hearing problems. This scoping review will explore whether the 13 schizophrenia-associated CNVs are related to hearing problems, including peripheral hearing loss and other auditory problems, in humans and related mouse models.

Methods

Our scoping review will follow guidelines provided by the Joanna Briggs Institute and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. A systematic search will be completed using PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, PsychINFO, and Cochrane Library databases, as well as other sources to identify relevant grey literature. Search terms will include all commonly used synonyms for hearing loss and problems with auditory perception, and both human and mouse studies that describe relevant CNVs will be included. Search lists will be screened by two authors independently, according to eligibility criteria, and data will be extracted and summarised using a narrative approach.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, this will be the first scoping review to explore auditory functioning across all CNVs that confer high schizophrenia risk. Looking ahead, if hearing problems are a clinical feature in these groups (including humans and related mouse models), they may serve as useful genetic models for future mechanistic studies.