A new study suggests more young Americans may be suffering from hearing loss than what has previously been reported. Here are some of the findings:
- 16% (about 29 million people) have hearing loss in one (9%) or both ears (7%)
- 31% (about 55 million people) had high-frequency hearing loss (12% in one ear and 19% in both)
- Hearing loss was especially prevalent at high frequencies for people age 20 to 29 (8.5%) and age 30 to 39 (17%)
- Men were 5.5 times more likely than women to have hearing loss
- Black participants were 70% less likely to have loss of hearing than white participants with white
- Mexican American men having the highest occurrence of both high-frequency hearing loss and hearing loss in both ears.
Details of the study are published are in the July 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
