Epidemiological evidence for the association between hearing loss and health in the community-dwelling population: a public health perspective on hearing loss prevention

• Published in: AUDIOLOGY JAPAN Vol. 67; no. 4; pp. 245 - 252
• Main Authors: Michikawa, Takehiro, Nishiwaki, Yuji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Japan Audiological Society 30.08.2024
• ISSN: 0303-8106; 1883-7301
• DOI: 10.4295/audiology.67.245

In this narrative review, we collected community-based epidemiological studies and summarized evidence for the health effects and primary prevention of hearing impairment. Past epidemiological evidence suggests that hearing impairment is associated with a shortened healthy life expectancy and premature death via depression, dementia, falls, traffic accidents, and frailty. Some factors that could prevent the occurrence of hearing impairment related to adverse health outcomes are noise, specific medications, and some candidate factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, diabetes, physical activity, and nutrition/diet. In 2019, it was estimated that approximately one in five persons in the world suffer from hearing impairment, which interferes with daily living, and the incidence is expected to increase further with the increasing population of the elderly. From the viewpoint of public health and social medicine, we believe that there is an urgent need to accumulate epidemiological evidence to devise preventive measures against hearing impairment.