https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/186379
Title: | Prevalence of Hearing Impairment in an Adult Population in Southern Taiwan | Authors: | YANG, YI-CHING GUO, YUE-LIANG WU, CHIH- HSING CHANG, CHIH-JEN ���|�} |
Keywords: | hearing loss;pure-tone audiometry;epidemiology | Issue Date: | 2007 | Journal Volume: | v.46 | Journal Issue: | n.12 | Start page/Pages: | 732-737 | Source: | INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AUDIOLOGY | Abstract: | The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hearing impairment in a representative adult population in southern Taiwan and compare the results to those of similar studies in other countries. A stratified systematic cluster sample of 1140 residents, aged >= 20 years, of Tainan City was studied from 2001 to 2003. The test battery included otoscopy, pure-tone audiometry, and a questionnaire covering relevant personal, occupational, and family history. The hearing threshold level ( HTL) was defined as the better ear pure-tone average (BPTA) (i.e. the average of hearing thresholds at frequencies 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz) . The prevalence of hearing impairment was 21.4% (95% confidence interval: 19.3 - 23.7%) at BPTA >= 25 dB HTL. Middle ear disease was a significant risk factor for hearing impairment in addition to age and gender. The overall prevalence of hearing impairment may be higher in Taiwan (17 .1%) than in western populations (11.5%), but differences in the definition of hearing impairment severity and variation in sex distribution among studies may account for this higher prevalence. |
URI: | http://ntur.lib.ntu.edu.tw//handle/246246/103053 |
Appears in Collections: | 醫學系 |
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