Presbycusis among older Chinese people in Taipei, Taiwan: a community-based study.
The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence and severity of presbycusis in older Chinese people in Taipei, Taiwan. Pure-tone audiometry and a questionnaire were administered to a randomly-recruited cohort of people > 65 years old (n=1221) from a community in Taipei. The study cohort showed pure-tone thresholds worsening, especially at frequencies >2 kHz, with increasing age. The mean pure-tone average at speech frequencies (0.5, 1, and 2 kHz) of the better ear of subjects stratified by five-year age groups ranged from 34.9 dB hearing level (HL) to 46.4 dB HL. The pure-tone average at speech frequency in women was slightly higher than that in men in all age groups. The prevalence of presbycusis (M3 > or = 55 dBHL) was 1.6% (65-69 years), 3.2% (70-74 years), 7.5% (75-79 years), and 14.9% (> or =80 years). Persistent tinnitus was present in 13.9% of subjects, and 18.8% of subjects had a history of vertigo. Of subjects with a clinically evident hearing impairment (M3 > or = 55 dB HL), 18.4% used hearing aids. These data provide estimates of the prevalence and severity of presbycusis in community-dwelling older persons in Taiwan.
Chang
Hsin-Pin
HP
Community Medicine Research Center and Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei City, Taiwan.
Chou
Pesus
P
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000379:methods; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003153:Community Health Services; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D011304:Presbycusis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology