Declining Prevalence of Hearing Loss in US Adults Aged 20 to 69 Years

“…By the indirect Standardized Incidence Ratio, the prevalence of hearing loss was 12.3% and 15.5%, respectively. Unlike the report in the United States that the prevalence of hearing loss declined due to the decreased noise exposure, 13 our data showed the increase of the prevalence in more recent period. In fact, it is also true in Korea that industrial and occupational noise exposures have been managed by the Occupational Safety and Health Act.…”

“…The rate of PTA increase was more than doubled for the Greatest Generation compared with the subsequent 2 generations (7.1 dB vs 3.4 dB per 5 years of follow-up). These results are consistent with previous reports [8][9][10] of prevalence in this cohort and from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which found a 25% improvement in better-ear HI for adults 65 to 74 years of age when comparing the 1999-2006 data with the National Health Examination Survey 1959-1962 data, and adults 20 to 69 years of age in the 2011-2012 survey were 30% less likely to have HI in the worse ear than those included in the 1999-2004 survey. Although the National Health and Nutrition Examination reports involve birth cohort effects on prevalence and our results report generational associations with incidence, the trends of decreasing HI over time are similar and likely associated with one another.…”

“…We also found in this study that non-Hispanic blacks have a lower prevalence of hearing loss than other racial groups, while non-Hispanic whites are more likely to have hearing loss. This finding is similar to the findings of some previous studies [ 11 , 12 , 22 ]. However, evidence from previous studies suggests that hearing loss is very common among black and Hispanic subgroups, including Mexicans and Cubans [ 23 ].…”

“…By the indirect Standardized Incidence Ratio, the prevalence of hearing loss was 12.3% and 15.5%, respectively. Unlike the report in the United States that the prevalence of hearing loss declined due to the decreased noise exposure, 13 our data showed the increase of the prevalence in more recent period. In fact, it is also true in Korea that industrial and occupational noise exposures have been managed by the Occupational Safety and Health Act.…”

“…The rate of PTA increase was more than doubled for the Greatest Generation compared with the subsequent 2 generations (7.1 dB vs 3.4 dB per 5 years of follow-up). These results are consistent with previous reports [8][9][10] of prevalence in this cohort and from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which found a 25% improvement in better-ear HI for adults 65 to 74 years of age when comparing the 1999-2006 data with the National Health Examination Survey 1959-1962 data, and adults 20 to 69 years of age in the 2011-2012 survey were 30% less likely to have HI in the worse ear than those included in the 1999-2004 survey. Although the National Health and Nutrition Examination reports involve birth cohort effects on prevalence and our results report generational associations with incidence, the trends of decreasing HI over time are similar and likely associated with one another.…”

“…We also found in this study that non-Hispanic blacks have a lower prevalence of hearing loss than other racial groups, while non-Hispanic whites are more likely to have hearing loss. This finding is similar to the findings of some previous studies [ 11 , 12 , 22 ]. However, evidence from previous studies suggests that hearing loss is very common among black and Hispanic subgroups, including Mexicans and Cubans [ 23 ].…”

“…By the indirect Standardized Incidence Ratio, the prevalence of hearing loss was 12.3% and 15.5%, respectively. Unlike the report in the United States that the prevalence of hearing loss declined due to the decreased noise exposure, 13 our data showed the increase of the prevalence in more recent period. In fact, it is also true in Korea that industrial and occupational noise exposures have been managed by the Occupational Safety and Health Act.…”

“…The rate of PTA increase was more than doubled for the Greatest Generation compared with the subsequent 2 generations (7.1 dB vs 3.4 dB per 5 years of follow-up). These results are consistent with previous reports [8][9][10] of prevalence in this cohort and from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which found a 25% improvement in better-ear HI for adults 65 to 74 years of age when comparing the 1999-2006 data with the National Health Examination Survey 1959-1962 data, and adults 20 to 69 years of age in the 2011-2012 survey were 30% less likely to have HI in the worse ear than those included in the 1999-2004 survey. Although the National Health and Nutrition Examination reports involve birth cohort effects on prevalence and our results report generational associations with incidence, the trends of decreasing HI over time are similar and likely associated with one another.…”

“…We also found in this study that non-Hispanic blacks have a lower prevalence of hearing loss than other racial groups, while non-Hispanic whites are more likely to have hearing loss. This finding is similar to the findings of some previous studies [ 11 , 12 , 22 ]. However, evidence from previous studies suggests that hearing loss is very common among black and Hispanic subgroups, including Mexicans and Cubans [ 23 ].…”