title: Assessing hearing problems within a community survey.
abstract: Community surveys are increasingly being used as a method of collecting health and lifestyle data. This report describes the use of a simple question on hearing difficulties within such a survey. A systematic sample of 2.5% of the electoral register of the four Parliamentary constituencies of Cardiff, Wales, was drawn. Of the 5145 individuals in the sample, 83% responded. Age and social class explained much of the variability in reported hearing difficulties. A recent fall and cigarette consumption were associated with hearing problems, but the contribution of alcohol consumption while potentially important did not reach statistical significance. This self-administered community survey provided hearing data which are consistent with other specialized studies and is a viable route for the assessment of community needs.
authors.affiliation: Welsh Hearing Institute, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Charny
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology