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Risk Factors for Hearing Loss
Economic cost of hearing loss
Your ears are incredibly effective but delicate sensory
organs. They are susceptible to damage from, among
other things, chronic diseases, medications and trauma.
Recent studies have shown how closely linked hearing
loss is to many different medical conditions. You are at
increased risk of hearing loss if any of the following apply
to you:
Hearing loss costs the Australian economy $11.75
billion1
Treating hearing loss costs $674 million, less than 6%
of its economic cost1
The burden of disease caused by hearing loss alone
accounts for 3.8% of the total burden of disease and
costs an estimated additional $11.3 billion1
Age – 29% of Australians aged 51-60 years have a
hearing loss, rising to 66% in those over 601
Diabetes – 2x greater incidence for ages 20-692
Obesity – 2x greater incidence in men, 1.3 in women3,4
Smoking, including being exposed to second hand
smoke – 2x greater incidence5,6
Cardiovascular disease, including hypertension7
Usage of certain medications, including aspirin,
ibuprofen, aminoglycoside antibiotics, loop diuretics
and chemotherapy drugs can cause hearing loss8
Balance issues, including dizziness8
Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)9
Exposure to high noise levels8
Head injuries8
Family history of hearing loss8
History of ear infections or ear surgery8,.9
Signs patients should see an audiologist
Complications of hearing loss
Ears collect and transmit sound while the brain processes
it. When patients have a hearing loss they lose sound
quality. Their brain can compensate to a certain degree
but this requires substantial processing power. This can
lead to several serious complications, including:
Depression10
Social withdrawal and isolation10
Non-compliance with medical advice, including taking
medications incorrectly11
Difficulties in the workplace1
Mental exhaustion due to the effort required to
understand other people12,13
Increased risk of dementia14
Increased falls risk - 3x greater incidence15
Increased risk of hospitalization16
Decreased overall Quality of Life, which hearing aids
have been shown to effectively improve17
Difficulty picking out words in background noise
Speaking loudly and having difficulty understanding
and responding to people
Feeling like they have to concentrate to understand
other people
Non-compliance with medical advice
Having a history of falls or having problems with
balance or dizziness
Having depression, worry or anxiety, especially related
to socialising
Buzzing or ringing in the ears
Having a history of exposure to loud noises
Patient feels like everybody, especially women and
children, mumble
Having one or more of the risk factors for hearing loss
You are concerned about their risk of future hearing
loss due to risky hearing behaviours
Our services
Hearing assessments for:
• Adults and Children
• Pensioners and Veterans (free service)
•WorkCover
• Tinnitus / Neuromonics / Acoustic Shock /Hyperacusis
• Speech in noise
• Commercial drivers/ Track access
•Pre-employment
• Aviation / Diving
• Chronic disease management (Medicare rebate with
Allied Health form)
• Hearing aid fittings - all styles and manufacturers,
custom made and expertly fitted
• On-going support & rehabilitation for hearing aid users
• Custom Noise, Musicians and swimming plugs
• Counseling on preventing hearing loss
• Tinnitus counseling and treatment
Is your patient a pensioner?
If your patient is an Australian Pensioner they may qualify
for free hearing services. To find out if they can access free
hearing services you or they can simply Freecall 1800 888 196
with their Australian Pensioner card handy and we can check
their eligibility and register them straight away. We will then
send you a form to sign, confirming they require hearing
services. All you need to do is return the form to us and they
become eligible.
Want more information?
Hearing & Audiology locations and contact info
Subiaco, Duncraig, Geraldton and Karratha
Email : [email protected]
Phone : (08) 9388 8003 or Freecall: 1800 888 196
Fax: (08) 9388 8009
Our website now has a dedicated section for professionals
where you can refer patients and access information and
studies related to hearing and health, as well as review new
hearing technologies and how they may interact with other
medical interventions.
www.hearingandaudiology.com.au
References:
1. Listen Hear! The economic impact and cost of hearing loss in Australia. Access Economics. 2006 February:31-34
2. Bainbridge KE, Hoffman H J, Cowie CC. Diabetes and Hearing Impairment in the United States: Audiometric Evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey, 1999 to 2004. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2008 July 01;149(1):1-19
3. Barrenäs ML, Jonsson B, Tuvemo T, Hellström PA, Lundgren M. High risk of sensorineural hearing loss in men born small for gestational age with and
without obesity or height catch-up growth: a prospective longitudinal register study on birth size in 245,000 Swedish conscripts. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and
metabolism. 2005 August;90(8):4452-4456
4. Curhan SG et al. Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, Physical Activity, and Risk of Hearing Loss in Women. The American Journal of Medicine. 2013;126(12):1142e2-e8
5. Nomura K, Nakao M, Morimoto T. Effect of smoking on hearing loss: quality assessment and meta-analysis. Preventive Medicine. 2005 February;40(2):138-144
6. Cruickshanks, K, Klein R, Klein B, Wiley T. Cigarette Smoking and Hearing Loss: The Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study. JAMA. 1998 June 03;279(21):1715-9
7. Hull R, Kerschen SR. The Influence of Cardiovascular Health on Peripheral and Central Auditory Function in Adults: A Research Review. American Journal of Audiology.
2010 June; 19:9-16
8. Walling AD, Dickson GM. Hearing Loss in Older Adults. American Family Physician. 2012 June 15;85(12):1150-1156
9. Moscicki EK et al. Hearing Loss in the Elderly: An Epidemiologic Study of the Framingham Heart Study Cohort. Ear Hear. 1985; 6:184–190
10. McMahon CM, Gopinath B, Schneider J, et al. The Need for Improved Detection and Management of Adult-Onset Hearing Loss in Australia. International Journal of
Otolaryngology. 2013;2013:308509.
11. Chia EM, Wang JJ, Rochtchina E, Cumming RR, Newall P, Mitchell P. Hearing impairment and health-related quality of life: the Blue Mountains Hearing Study. Ear and
Hearing. 2007;28:187–195
12. Arlinger S. Negative consequences of uncorrected hearing loss-a review. International journal of audiology. 2003 Jul 1;42:2S17-20
13. Genther DJ et al. Association of Hearing Impairment and Mortality in Older Adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2015 January;70(1):85–90
14. Lin FR, Metter EJ, O’Brien RJ, Resnick SM, Zonderman AB, Ferrucci L. Hearing loss and incident dementia. Arch Neurol. 2011;68:214–220
15. Lin FR, Ferrucci L. Hearing loss and falls among older adults in the United States. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172:369-371
16. Genther DJ et al. Association Between Hearing Impairment and Risk of Hospitalization in Older Adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2015; 63(6):1146-1152 (hospitalizations)
17. Ciorba A, Bianchini C, Pelucchi S, Pastore A.The impact of hearing loss on the quality of life of elderly adults. Clinical Interventions in Aging. 2012;7:159-163
www.hearingandaudiology.com.au