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Age-Related Hearing Loss

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The Epidemiology of Aging

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Abstract

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is an extremely common and disabling condition among older adults. Its detrimental effects on communication can be felt in the emotional, cognitive and functional domains. Epidemiologic studies of age-related hearing loss provide us with knowledge about the prevalence and incidence of hearing loss in older adults, as well as intrinsic and extrinsic factors that may serve as risk factors for the development and/or progression of hearing loss. Overall, the prevalence of hearing loss (including high-frequency hearing loss) increases with age, and ARHL is more prevalent in men than in women and more common among White and Mexican-American individuals than among Black individuals. Risk factors for hearing loss include lower socioeconomic status, the presence of diabetes mellitus or cardiovascular disease, ­cigarette smoking, exposure to toxic levels of noise, medication ototoxicity, lead exposure and genetic factors. Prevention methods primarily include limiting one’s exposure to risk factors. While much hearing loss is not curable, there are strategies (e.g., conversation techniques, assistive devices) to aid individuals who have ARHL.

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Abbreviations

APOE-ε4:

Apolipoprotein ε4

ARHL:

Age-Related Hearing Loss

CHS:

Cardiovascular Health Study

CVD:

Cardiovascular Disease

dB HL:

Decibels Hearing Level

DM:

Diabetes Mellitus

DSI:

Dual Sensory Impairment

EHLS:

Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study

GRHL-2:

Grainyhead-like 2

GSTM1:

Glutathione s-transferase mu-1

GSTT1:

Glutathione s-transferase theta 1

Health ABC:

Health Aging and Body Compo­sition Study

HHIE-S:

Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening Version

Hz:

Hertz

KCNQ4:

Potassium channel voltage-gated, kqt-like subfamily, member 4

MtDNA:

Mitochondrial DNA

NAT-2:

N-actyltransferase-2

NHANES:

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

OAE:

Otoacoustic Emissions

PTA:

Pure-Tone Average

US:

United States

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SUNY Downstate Medical Center, School of Public Health, 450 Clarkson Avenue, 43, Brooklyn, NY, 11203-2098, USA

    Elizabeth Purchase Helzner Ph.D.

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  1. Elizabeth Purchase Helzner Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Elizabeth Purchase Helzner Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, A527 Crabtree Hall, DeSoto Street 130, Pittsburgh, 15261, Pennsylvania, USA

    Anne B. Newman

  2. Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, DeSoto Street, A510 Crabtree 130, Pittsburgh, 15261, Pennsylvania, USA

    Jane A. Cauley

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Helzner, E.P. (2012). Age-Related Hearing Loss. In: Newman, A., Cauley, J. (eds) The Epidemiology of Aging. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5061-6_20

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