After comparing two time periods a decade apart, researchers recently concluded that hearing loss in U.S. adults ages 20-69 has actually declined over time, despite shifting demographic numbers as the general population ages.
Researchers found that overall hearing loss dropped from 16 percent in 1999–2004 to 14 percent in 2011–2012.
Considering several key features in addition to age, personnel working for the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) postulated after crunching the numbers that possible factors include fewer jobs in loud manufacturing settings, coupled with increased awareness of hearing loss causes -- resulting in more widespread use of protective gear.
Additionally, a decline in smoking and continuing overall health care improvements could influence the positive trend. Research also suggested that heavy use of firearms and a lower level of education were shown to be significant, with indications of non-Hispanic whites bearing the highest risk and non-Hispanic blacks facing the lowest.
Regardless of variables, age remains the most reliable predictor of hearing loss, researchers said. The highest amount of hearing loss occurs in adults ages 60-69, with men roughly twice as likely as women to experience the phenomenon.
The study was administered by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), part of the National Institutes of Health; and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Our findings show a promising trend of better hearing among adults that spans more than half a century,” Howard Hoffman, director of the NIDCD’s Epidemiology and Statistics Program, said. “The decline in hearing loss rates among adults under age 70 suggests that age-related hearing loss may be delayed until later in life. This is good news because … those who do develop hearing loss … will have experienced more quality years of life with better hearing than earlier generations.”
NIDCD Director Dr. James Battey Jr. added that -- although the study results are promising -- the need for affordable hearing care will still increase as the older population continues to grow.
