This study examined the association between time of onset of hearing loss (childhood vs. adulthood) and self-reported hearing handicap in adults.
This is a population-based cohort study of 2,024 adults (mean = 48 years) with hearing loss (binaural pure-tone average 0.5-4 kHz = 20 dB HL) who completed a hearing handicap questionnaire. In childhood, the same persons (N = 2,024) underwent audiometry in a school investigation (at ages 7, 10, and 13 years), in which 129 were diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss (binaural pure-tone average 0.5-4 kHz = 20 dB HL), whereas 1,895 had normal hearing thresholds.
Hearing handicap was measured in adulthood as the sum-score of various speech perception and social impairment items (15 items). The sum-score increased with adult hearing threshold level (p
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Cites: J Oslo City Hosp. 1968 Jan-Feb;18(1):5-444865929