Background: Disabling hearing loss is a prevalent public health issue, with significant impact on patients’ communication. The disability associated with hearing loss depends on the severity of the hearing loss. There are limited rehabilitative measures in resource challenged environment. This study assesses the incidence, the factors for hearing impairment and the management outcome.
Methods: A descriptive three-year chart review of patients managed for hearing loss in a tertiary health center in a developing country. The data collected include demographic data, clinical presentation and risk factors for hearing loss, audiometric reports, rehabilitative measures and management outcome.
Results: The patients with ear symptoms managed within the study period were 1350, of whom 498 (36.8%) had hearing loss of varying degrees. These included 145 (29.1%) males and 353 (70.9%) females with male to female ratio of 1:2.4. The age ranged from 8 to 80 years (median age of 35.7). Disabling hearing loss in the better-hearing ear occurred in 216 (43.4%) of cases. Increasing age and chronic supportive otitis media were associated with disabling hearing loss. The hearing thresholds improved with hearing aids and ear surgical procedures; nonetheless the patients’ rehabilitation was impaired by limited resources.
Conclusion: There is poor rehabilitation of people with hearing loss, though management outcome is commendable in a few of them. Health education will reduce the risk factors for disabling hearing loss and improved rehabilitative measures are needed for these individuals.
Introduction: Disabling hearing loss refers to hearing thresholds superior than 40 dB in the better ear in the adults. The main cause of hearing loss in the elderly is the age-related hearing loss, also called presbycusis. This type of hearing impairment occurs as individuals grow older and is usually sensorineural hearing disorder greater for high-pitched sounds and affects both ears equally. It is estimated that 466 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss, one third of which are over 65 years old.
Objective: To analyze the prevalence of disabling hearing loss in the elderly of Juiz de Fora. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 122 patients. Pure tone audiometry was performed after meticulous physical examination of the external ear.
Results: Out of 122 older adults, 85 (69,6%) presented disabling hearing loss.
Conclusion: Hearing loss, specially disabling hearing loss, is a frequent condition in the elderly and has a big impact on their quality of life. For that it should be promptly diagnosed so treatment can be initiated.
"It was a pleasure to work with the editorial team of the journal on the submission of the manuscript. The team was professional, fast, and to the point".
NC A&T State University, USA
Moran Sciamama-Saghiv
"This is my first time publishing with the journal/publisher. I am impressed at the promptness of the publishing staff and the professionalism displayed. Thank you for encouraging young researchers li...
Ajite Kayode
I would like to thank JPRA for taking this decision. I understand the effort it represents for you. I'm truly happy to have the paper published in JPRA. And I'll certainly consider JPRA for my next pu...
Emmanuel BUSATO
The Journal Clinical Nephrology provides a good opportunity for readers to stay updated in the field of clinical nephrology. Additionally - it provides a good opportunity for authors to publish their...
Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Israel
Leonid Feldman
The Clinical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology is an open access journal focused on scientific knowledge publication with emphasis laid on the fields of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Their services to...
Carole Assontsa
This is to specify that I have had an extensive and detailed interaction with the Editorial team of Annals of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, USA, lasting over a significant period of time. ...
New Delhi, India
Anubha Bajaj
The services of the journal were excellent. The most important thing for an author is the speed of the peer review which was really fast here. They returned in a few days and immediately replied all o...
Eastern Mediterranean University, Cyprus
Zehra Guchan TOPCU
Once I submitted the manuscript, the response time of the reviewers was very fast. The fine-tuning of the galley proof was likewise prompt. I believe the journal provide a valuable outlet to dissemina...
Alon
We appreciate your approach to scholars and will encourage you to collaborate with your organization, which includes interesting and different medical journals.
With the best wishes of success, creat...
Ivano- Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukra...
Nataliya Kitsera
Archives of Vascular Medicine is one of the top class journal for vascular medicine with highly interesting topics.
You did a professional and great Job!
HSPI: We're glad you're here. Please click "create a new Query" if you are a new visitor to our website and need further information from us.
If you are already a member of our network and need to keep track of any developments regarding a question you have already submitted, click "take me to my Query."