Chinese survey identifies weight and education as leading factors associated with hearing loss

Researchers used China National Health Survey 2023 data to estimate the contributions of selected socioeconomic and cardiometabolic factors to hearing loss in 6,291 adults aged 20–88 years. Hearing was assessed with air-conduction pure-tone audiometry. Low/mid-, speech-, and high-frequency hearing loss were defined by a pure-tone average threshold above 20 dB in the better ear. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) were estimated using multivariable logistic models, with analyses stratified by age, sex, and menopausal status.

The estimated combined contribution of the selected factors was approximately 10%–19%. Abnormal BMI had a PAF of approximately 3.0%–6.5%, and low education approximately 2.7%–5.5%, making them the leading factors across frequency-specific outcomes. Hypertension also had a high PAF among older adults and males. PAFs for selected factors were higher in younger than older adults, males than females, and premenopausal than postmenopausal females.

The authors proposed weight and blood pressure management as potential initial targets for hearing-loss prevention. However, these cross-sectional associations do not establish causality or demonstrate that interventions reduce hearing loss. The attributable fractions should therefore not be interpreted as proven preventable proportions; confidence intervals were not provided in the supplied text.