Denton County Living Well Magazine July/August 2018 | Page 39

HOW PREVALENT IS HEARING LOSS IN AMERICA?
By Elizabeth Brassine, Au.D.
H
ow prevalent is hearing loss in America? You may be
surprised! Nearly a fifth of all Americans 12 years or
older have enough hearing loss, to make communica-
tion difficult, according to a new study led by Johns Hopkins
researchers and published in the Nov. 14 Archives of Inter-
nal Medicine. The findings, thought to be the first nationally
representative estimate of hearing loss, suggest that many
more people than previously thought are affected by this con-
dition. The study was led by Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D., an as-
sistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head
& Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Using the World Health Organization’s definition for hear-
ing loss (not being able to hear sounds of 25 decibels or
less in the speech frequencies), the researchers found that
overall, about 30 million Americans, or 12.7 percent of
the population, had hearing loss in both ears. That num-
ber jumps to about 48 million, or 20.3 percent, for people
who have hearing loss in at least one ear. These num-
bers far surpass previous estimates of 21 to 29 million.
Hearing loss prevalence nearly doubled with every age
decade, with women and blacks being significantly
less likely to have hearing loss at any age. Lin and his
colleagues aren’t sure why these groups appear to
be protected. However, he notes that the female hor-
mone estrogen, as well as the melanin pigment in dark-
er skin, could have a protective effect on the inner ear.
In the meantime, Lin says, the new numbers greatly impact
the work he and other researchers are doing on hearing loss
and its consequences, which, according to previous stud-
ies, include cognitive decline, dementia, and poor physical
functioning. Lin’s research also looked at a link between
hearing loss and the risk of falling in middle aged-adults
and the elderly. They found that hearing loss triples the risk!
“This gives us the real scope of the problem for the first time
and shows us how big of a problem hearing loss really is,”
Lin says. The moral of the story is that it’s a good idea to
have your hearing tested throughout your life. See an audi-
ologist today and stay connected.
Elizabeth Brassine is a Doctor of Audiology and the owner of Hearing Services of McKinney.
HEARING SERVICES
of M c Kinney
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• Staffed by 3 Licensed, Doctors of Audiology
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• 28 Years of Experience
Locally Owned and Operated
Financing Options Available
Mon-Fri: 8:30am- 5:00pm
Other times available by appt.
“Hearing Services of Mckinney
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Caring and dedicated
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experience working
daily to meet your
needs”.
– Terry G. Box,
Retired
Collin County Sheriff
972.838.1300
www.hearinmckinney.com
4201 Medical Center Dr, Suite 270
Across from Medical Center of Mc