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. 2023 Mar 16:97:e202303020.

[Hearing impairment in the population over 55 years of age and its relationship with chronic diseases and perceived health]

[Article in Spanish]
Aldiane Gomes de Macedo Bacurau  1 , Juliana Armenio Moreira Ferreira  1 , Núbia Garcia Vianna  1 , Deborah Carvalho Malta  2 , Priscila Mª Stolses Bergamo Francisco  1
Affiliations

[Hearing impairment in the population over 55 years of age and its relationship with chronic diseases and perceived health]

[Article in Spanish]
Aldiane Gomes de Macedo Bacurau et al. Rev Esp Salud Publica. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: Hearing is one of the essential senses for communication and its loss can impact the functional status, quality of life, cognitive functions, and well-being of people. The study objectives were to project the absolute number of older adults with hearing impairment in Brazil; and to estimate the prevalence of acquired hearing impairment and its association with sociodemographic characteristics, self-rated health, and chronic diseases.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Brazil with data from individuals (fifty-five years or older) from the 2013 National Health Survey (n=15,393). Prevalence was estimated with confidence intervals of 95%; associations were verified using the chi-square test (Rao-Scott) with a significance level of 5%. To assess the relationship between hearing impairment and chronic diseases, Poisson regression was used.

Results: The prevalence of acquired hearing impairment was 3.8% (95% CI: 3.3-4.3); 73.7% reported limitations in their usual activities and 7.8% (95% CI: 5.3-11.3) attended a rehabilitation service. It was higher in men (4.7%; p<0.05), in those aged seventy-five years or older (9.8%; p<0.01), without a spouse/partner (4.8%; p<0.01), and in those with less education (4.7%; p<0.01). Also, hearing impairment was greater in those with heart disease (OR=1.62), lung disease/COPD (OR=2.63), arthritis/rheumatism (OR= 2.10), depression lung disease/COPD (OR=1.60), and in those who self-assessed their health as worse (OR=2.08).

Conclusions: There were statistically significant differences in the prevalence of acquired hearing impairment according to sociodemographic characteristics, chronic diseases, and health self-assessment.

Objetivo: La audición es uno de los sentidos esenciales para la comunicación y su pérdida puede impactar en el estado funcional, la calidad de vida, las funciones cognitivas y el bienestar de las personas. Los objetivos del estudio fueron proyectar el número absoluto de adultos mayores con deficiencia auditiva en Brasil, así como estimar la prevalencia de deficiencia auditiva adquirida y su asociación con características sociodemográficas, la autoevaluación de la salud y enfermedades crónicas.

Metodos: Se realizó un estudio transversal en Brasil con datos de individuos (edad igual o mayor de cincuenta y cinco años) obtenidos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud 2013 (n=15.393). Se estimaron las prevalencias con intervalos de confianza del 95%; las asociaciones se verificaron mediante la prueba de chi-cuadrado (Rao-Scott), con un nivel de significancia del 5%. Para evaluar la relación entre la deficiencia auditiva y las enfermedades crónicas se utilizó la regresión de Poisson.

Resultados: La prevalencia de deficiencia auditiva adquirida fue del 3,8% (IC95%:3,3-4,3); el 73,7% refirió limitación en sus actividades habituales y el 7,8% (IC95%:5,3-11,3) frecuentó algún servicio de rehabilitación. Fue mayor en los hombres (4,7%; p<0,05), en aquellos con edad igual o mayor de setenta y cinco años (9,8%; p<0,01), sin cónyuge/pareja (4,8%; p<0,01), y en aquellos con menor escolaridad (4,7%; p<0,01). También, la deficiencia auditiva fue mayor en individuos con enfermedades cardíacas (OR=1,62), enfermedad pulmonar/EPOC (OR=2,63), artritis/reumatismo (OR=2,10), depresión (OR=1,60) y en los que autoevaluaron com peor salud (OR=2,08).

Conclusiones: Se observaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la prevalencia de deficiencia auditiva adquirida según perfil sociodemográfico, enfermedades crónicas y autoevaluación de la salud.

Keywords: Adult; Aged; Chronic Disease; Health Surveys; Hearing Loss; Prevalence; Spain.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

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