Prevalence and risk factors for mild and high-frequency bilateral sensorineural hearing loss at age 11 years old: a UK prospective cohort study

Amanda J. Hall, Elizabeth Midgley, Colin Steer, Rachel Humphriss

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess prevalence and risk factors for mild/high-frequency bilateral sensorineural hearing loss within a UK population of children at age 11 years.

DESIGN: Prospective birth cohort study.

STUDY SAMPLE: Repeat hearing thresholds were measured in 5032 children, as part of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) at age 7, 9, and 11 years. Pregnancy, birth, and early medical history were obtained prospectively through parental questionnaires and medical records.

RESULTS: Twenty children had mild and seven had high-frequency bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, giving a combined prevalence of 0.5% (95% CI 0.4-0.8%). These children were more likely than the rest of the study sample to have been admitted to hospital at 6-18 months (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.00-7.30). Parents of these children were more likely to have suspected a hearing problem when the children were 3 years old (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.05-5.60).

CONCLUSIONS: This is the first UK prospective cohort study to investigate the prevalence of mild and high-frequency hearing loss. This study, which has the advantage of a large sample size and repeat hearing measures over a four year period, reports lower prevalence values than US cross-sectional studies.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)809-814
Number of pages6
JournalInternational Journal of Audiology
Volume50
Issue number11
Early online date12 Oct 2011
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2011

Keywords

  • acoustic impedance tests
  • acoustic stimulation
  • age factors
  • pure-tone audiometry
  • auditory threshold
  • bone conduction
  • child
  • England
  • bilateral hearing loss
  • sensorineural hearing loss
  • hospitalization
  • infant
  • logistic models
  • odds ratio
  • prevalence
  • prospective studies
  • risk assessment
  • risk factors
  • socioeconomic factors

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Prevalence and risk factors for mild and high-frequency bilateral sensorineural hearing loss at age 11 years old: a UK prospective cohort study'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this