Dillard Lauren K, Matthews Lois J, Dubno Judy R
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2025 May 19. doi: 10.1007/s10162-025-00993-2.
Birth cohort differences capture secular trends in population health. We aimed to determine birth cohort differences, defined by generation, in hearing-related outcomes.
Participants were from a community-based cohort study. Generation was classified according to birth year: Greatest (1901-1924), Silent (1925-1945), Baby Boom (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980), or Millennial (1981-1996) and Gen Z (1997-2012). Primary outcomes were audiometric hearing loss, defined as a worse ear pure-tone average (PTA) of thresholds at frequencies 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 kHz > 25 dB HL, and self-reported hearing difficulty, defined as a score ≥ 6 on the Revised Hearing Handicap Inventory (RHHI). Analyses focused on hearing aid use included only participants with audiometric hearing loss. We used multivariable adjusted logistic regression models to evaluate associations between generation and each outcome. Models were stratified to sex when there was evidence of effect modification.
This cross-sectional study included 1554 participants (mean age 63.7 [SD 14.4] years; 56.8% female, 20.0% racial Minority). The prevalence of audiometric hearing loss, self-reported hearing difficulty, and hearing aid use (among participants with audiometric hearing loss) was 48.9%, 48.8%, and 22.0%, respectively. Generation was associated with audiometric hearing loss in the entire sample and males only. Generation was not consistently associated with self-reported hearing difficulty or hearing aid use.
More recent generations had lower prevalence of audiometric hearing loss. There were no generational differences in self-reported hearing difficulty or hearing aid use. Secular hearing-related trends can inform accurate projections of the burden of hearing loss and health care utilization.
出生队列差异反映了人群健康的长期趋势。我们旨在确定按代划分的出生队列在听力相关结局方面的差异。
参与者来自一项基于社区的队列研究。根据出生年份对代进行分类：最伟大一代（1901 - 1924年）、沉默一代（1925 - 1945年）、婴儿潮一代（1946 - 1964年）、X一代（1965 - 1980年）、千禧一代（1981 - 1996年）和Z一代（1997 - 2012年）。主要结局为听力计测听力损失，定义为较差耳在0.5、1.0、2.0和4.0 kHz频率下的纯音平均听阈（PTA）> 25 dB HL，以及自我报告的听力困难，定义为修订后的听力障碍量表（RHHI）得分≥6分。针对助听器使用情况的分析仅纳入了有听力计测听力损失的参与者。我们使用多变量调整逻辑回归模型来评估代与每个结局之间的关联。当有效应修饰的证据时，模型按性别分层。
这项横断面研究纳入了1554名参与者（平均年龄63.7 [标准差14.4]岁；56.8%为女性，20.0%为少数族裔）。听力计测听力损失、自我报告的听力困难以及助听器使用（在有听力计测听力损失的参与者中）的患病率分别为了48.9%、48.8%和22.0%。代与整个样本以及仅男性的听力计测听力损失相关。代与自我报告的听力困难或助听器使用之间没有一致的关联。
较近几代人的听力计测听力损失患病率较低。在自我报告的听力困难或助听器使用方面没有代际差异。长期的听力相关趋势可为听力损失负担和医疗保健利用的准确预测提供信息。
