Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Ear Hear. 2011 Mar-Apr;32(2):251-7. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0b013e3181fc98bd.
There are few epidemiological surveys that have examined age-related hearing loss in an older Australian population. This study reports the prevalence, 5-yr incidence, and progression of hearing impairment in a representative sample of older persons.
The Blue Mountains Hearing Study (BMHS) is a population-based survey of age-related hearing loss conducted among participants of the Blue Mountains Eye Study cohort. During the period 1997-1999, 2956 had audiometric testing done. Of these, 870 participants without hearing loss and 439 with hearing loss were re-examined from 2002 to 2004.
Some degree of hearing loss was present in 33.0% of this population at baseline. Prevalence of hearing loss increased with age, sex-adjusted (odds ratio [OR] 3.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.1-3.9), with men 70% more likely than women to have hearing loss. The 5-yr incidence of hearing impairment was 17.9%. For each decade of age older than 60 yrs, the risk of hearing loss increased threefold, OR 3.9 (CI 2.3-3.8). Gender was not associated with incident hearing loss OR. However, high occupational prestige was associated with decreased incidence of hearing loss OR 0.6 (CI 0.40-0.94). The 5-yr progression of hearing loss defined as a difference in pure-tone average that exceeded 10 dB was relatively high (15.7%). At the baseline hearing study and at the 5-yr follow-up hearing study, 57.4% and 59.7% of hearing impaired subjects, respectively, reported using a hearing aid for a maximum of 5 yrs.
Hearing loss was a frequent sensory disability, with one in three persons having a hearing impairment, and of these, almost one in two showing a decline in hearing over a 5-yr period. This information can potentially contribute to the planning and resource investment in auditory rehabilitation services for older Australians.
针对老年人的听力损失，仅有少数流行病学调查进行了研究。本研究报告了一个代表性的老年人群样本中听力障碍的患病率、5 年发病率和进展情况。
蓝山听力研究（Blue Mountains Hearing Study，BMHS）是一项在蓝山眼部研究队列参与者中进行的与年龄相关的听力损失的基于人群的调查。在 1997 年至 1999 年期间，对 2956 人进行了听力测试。其中，870 名无听力损失和 439 名有听力损失的参与者在 2002 年至 2004 年期间进行了复查。
该人群中在基线时存在某种程度听力损失的比例为 33.0%。听力损失的患病率随年龄增长而增加，男女调整后的（比值比[OR]3.5，95%置信区间[CI]3.1-3.9），男性发生听力损失的可能性比女性高 70%。听力障碍的 5 年发病率为 17.9%。与 60 岁以上每增加十年相比，听力损失的风险增加三倍，OR 3.9（CI 2.3-3.8）。性别与新发听力损失无关 OR。然而，高职业声望与听力损失发病率降低相关 OR 0.6（CI 0.40-0.94）。5 年听力损失进展定义为纯音平均听力差异超过 10dB，相对较高（15.7%）。在基线听力研究和 5 年随访听力研究中，分别有 57.4%和 59.7%的听力受损受试者报告在最多 5 年内使用过助听器。
听力损失是一种常见的感觉障碍，每三个人中就有一个人有听力障碍，其中近二分之一的人在 5 年内听力下降。这些信息可能有助于规划和投资澳大利亚老年人的听觉康复服务。
