Hoveyzeh Ear Cohort Study in Southwest Iran: A Pilot Study

Nader Saki; Bahman  Cheraghian; Masoud Motasaddi   Zarandi; Shadman Nemati; Zahra   Rahimi; Fakher  Rahim; Hossein  Poustchi; Sara Saki; Soheila  Nikakhlagh; Arash Bayat

doi:10.18502/avr.v32i4.13597

Nader Saki Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Bahman Cheraghian Hearing Research Center, Clinical Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Masoud Motasaddi Zarandi Otorhinolaryngology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Shadman Nemati Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
Zahra Rahimi Hearing Research Center, Clinical Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Fakher Rahim Department of Anesthesia, Ciahan University, Sulaimaniya, Iraq
Hossein Poustchi Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Sara Saki Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California USA
Soheila Nikakhlagh Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Arash Bayat Hearing Research Center, Clinical Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/avr.v32i4.13597

Abstract

Background and Aim: The increasing trend of hearing loss is an important public health concern that needs coordinated and well-designed measures at the regional, global, and local levels. We determined the audiological profile of a province in Iran with unique socioeconomic, ethnic, and geographical characteristics and investigated the risk factors associated with hearing loss.

Methods: A total number of 1845 participants (35–70 years old) were recruited in the current prospective study. Pure tone audiometry and tympanometry tests were conducted to determine the type and severity of hearing loss in adults living in southwest Iran (Arab ethnicity). The hearing loss prevalence in individuals with a history of head trauma, cardiovascular disease, noise exposure, diabetes, and smoking status was compared with that of disease-free participants.

Results: The hearing loss prevalence was 51.3% (947/1845), which was significantly correlated with sociodemographic factors, including age, gender, marital status, educational level, skill levels, wealth status, Townsend deprivation index, and smoking habit (p<0.001). The hearing loss prevalence showed a significant association with a history of diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, smoking habits, head trauma, and noise exposure (p<0.05). Nonetheless, the prevalence of hearing loss and the type of residency, and the wealth index were not significantly associated.

Conclusion: Hearing loss causes the burden of chronic disability in southwest of Iran. Several socioeconomic, demographic, and medical parameters influence the consequences of hearing loss.

Keywords: Hearing loss; cohort study; Iran