Prevalence of childhood hearing loss and secular trends: a systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Better epidemiologic information on childhood hearing loss would inform research priorities and efforts to prevent its progression. OBJECTIVES: To estimate prevalence and secular trends in children’s hearing loss. DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE and Embase from January 1996 to Aug...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English English English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2019
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/75966/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/75966/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/75966/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/75966/1/75966_Prevalence%20of%20Childhood%20Hearing%20Loss_article.pdf http://irep.iium.edu.my/75966/2/75966_Prevalence%20of%20Childhood%20Hearing%20Loss_scopus.pdf http://irep.iium.edu.my/75966/3/75966_Prevalence%20of%20Childhood%20Hearing%20Loss_wos.pdf |
| Summary: | BACKGROUND: Better epidemiologic information on childhood hearing loss would inform research priorities and efforts
to prevent its progression.
OBJECTIVES: To estimate prevalence and secular trends in
children’s hearing loss.
DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE and Embase from
January 1996 to August 2017.
STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included epidemiologic
studies in English reporting hearing loss prevalence.
STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: The modified
Leboeuf-Yde and Lauritsen tool was used to assess methodological quality. Meta-analyses combined study-specific estimates using random-effects models.
PARTICIPANTS: Children 0 to 18 years of age.
RESULTS: Among 88 eligible studies, 43.2% included audiometric measurement of speech frequencies. In meta-analyses,
pooled prevalence estimates of slight or worse bilateral speech
frequency losses >15 decibels hearing level (dB HL) were
13.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.0−17.0). Using progressively more stringent cutpoints, pooled prevalence estimates were 8.1% (95% CI, 1.3−19.8) with >20 dB HL, 2.2%
(95% CI, 1.4−3.0) with >25 dB HL, 1.8% (95% CI, 0.4−4.1)
with >30 dB HL, and 0.9% (95% CI, 0.1−2.6) with >40 dB
HL. Also, 8.9% (95% CI, 6.4−12.3) had likely sensorineural
losses >15 dB HL in 1 or both ears, and 1.2% (95% CI,
0.5−2.1) had self-reported hearing loss. From 1990 to 2010,
the prevalence of losses >15 dB HL in 1 or both ears rose
substantially (all P for trend <.001).
LIMITATIONS: The studies had high heterogeneity and
offered limited information for hearing loss types and
secular trend.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Childhood slight or
worse hearing loss is prevalent and may be increasing.
Advances in understanding hearing loss trajectories, causes,
and prevention would require international repositories and
longitudinal studies with audiometric data beginning in
childhood |
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