Socioeconomic differences in hearing among middle-aged and older adults: cross-sectional analyses using the Health Survey for England.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hearing loss impacts on cognitive, social and physical functioning. Both hearing loss and hearing aid use vary across population subgroups. We examined whether hearing loss, and reported current hearing aid use among persons with hearing loss, were associated with different markers of socioeconomic status (SES) in a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults.

Methods

Hearing was measured using an audiometric screening device in the Health Survey for England 2014 (3292 participants aged 45 years and over). Hearing loss was defined as >35 dB HL at 3.0 kHz in the better-hearing ear. Using sex-specific logistic regression modelling, we evaluated the associations between SES and hearing after adjustment for potential confounders

SUBMITTER: Scholes S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5829909 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature