[Epidemiologic study on hearing impairment and ear diseases in old people].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of hearing impairment and ear diseases in old people and provide scientific data for drawing up the prevention and treatment strategies.


METHODS
Using the probability proportion to size (PPS) method, 1261 people over 60 years were investigated in 40 clusters in Jiangsu Province with the WHO protocol.


RESULTS
The prevalence of hearing impairment was 58.1% (the standardized rate: 59.5% in the whole country, 60.9% in Jiangsu province). Degrees of hearing impairment were mild (33.1%), moderate (17.8%), severe (5.9%) and profound (1.3%). The prevalence of hearing disability was 25.0% (the standardized rate: 26.6% in the whole country, 28.1% in Jiangsu province). There were significant difference of the prevalence between male and female, as well as urban and rural, and different ages. The prevalence of the ear diseases was auricle malformation (0.2%), wax (1.7%), otitis externa (0.1%), fungi (0.5%), serous otitis media (1.2%), chronic suppurative otitis media (1.6%), dry perforation of tympanic membrance (2.3%). The causes of hearing impairment were ear diseases (2.9%), non-infectious condition (92.6%), genetic condition (0.3%) and undetermined causes (4.2%). Of which, 31.1% of persons needed hearing aids while 2.3% of persons needed medicine treatment, but 0.9% of persons needed non-urgent surgery and 1.0% of persons needed other treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of hearing impairment and disability in the old rised obviously than the last investigation in 1987. It was a heavy burden for social development in China. The government and the whole society should take more concern about the problem. The scientific strategies of prevention and treatment were urgently needed and implemented.
Liu
Cheng
C
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
Bu
Xing-Kuan
XK
Xing
Guang-qian
GQ
Zhou
Ling
L
Xu
Xia
X
Wang
Deng-yuan
DY
Chen
Zhi-bin
ZB
Zhou
Han
H
Tian
Hui-qin
HQ
Li
Xiao-lu
XL
Lu
Ling
L
Zhao
Xiao-nian
XN
Li
Fang-li
FL
Tan
Chang-qiang
CQ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence