Clinical Interventions in Aging (Dec 2021)

Multidimensional Risk Factors of Age-Related Hearing Loss Among Malaysian Community‐Dwelling Older Adults

  • Ooi TC,
  • Ishak WS,
  • Sharif R,
  • Shahar S,
  • Rajab NF,
  • Singh DKA,
  • Mukari SZMS

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 16
pp. 2033 – 2046

Abstract

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Theng Choon Ooi,1 Wan Syafira Ishak,1 Razinah Sharif,1 Suzana Shahar,1 Nor Fadilah Rajab,1 Devinder Kaur Ajit Singh,1 Siti Zamratol-Mai Sarah Mukari2 1Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 50300, Malaysia; 2Institute of Ear, Hearing and Speech, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 50300, MalaysiaCorrespondence: Wan Syafira IshakAudiology Program, Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur, 50300, MalaysiaTel +60 392895011Fax +60 392897161Email [email protected]: This study evaluates the prevalence of and the multidimensional risk factors associated with age-related hearing loss (ARHL) among community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia.Patients and Methods: A total of 253 participants aged 60 years and above participated in this cross-sectional study. The participants were subjected to pure tone audiometric assessment. The hearing threshold was calculated for the better ear and classified into pure-tone average (PTA) for the octave frequencies from 0.5 to 4 kHz and high-frequency pure-tone average (HFA) for the octave from 2 to 8kHz. Then, the risk factors associated with PTA hearing loss (HL) and HFAHL were identified by using multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results: The prevalence of ARHL based on PTA and HFA among the community-dwelling older adults was 75.5% and 83.0%, respectively. Following multifactorial adjustments, being older (OR: 1.239; 95% CI: 1.062– 1.445), having higher waist circumference (OR: 1.158; 95% CI: 1.015– 1.322), lower intake of niacin (OR: 0.909; 95% CI: 0.831– 0.988) and potassium (OR: 0.998; 95% CI: 0.996– 1.000), and scoring lower in RAVLT T5 (OR: 0.905; 95% CI: 0.838– 0.978) were identified as the risk factors of PTAHL. Meanwhile, being older (OR: 1.117; 95% CI: 1.003– 1.244), higher intake of carbohydrate (OR: 1.018; 95% CI: 1.006– 1.030), lower intake of potassium (OR: 0.998; 95% CI: 0.997– 0.999), and lower scores on the RAVLT T5 (OR: 0.922; 95% CI: 0.874– 0.973) were associated with increased risk of having HFAHL.Conclusion: Increasing age, having higher waist circumference, lower intake of niacin and potassium, higher intake of carbohydrates and having lower RAVLT T5 score were associated with increased risk of ARHL. Modifying these risk factors may be beneficial in preventive and management strategies of ARHL among older persons.Keywords: cognitive function, dietary intake, hearing loss, older adults, prevalence, risk factors

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