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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Irshad A. Shaikh, MD, MPH, PhD1, Greg Pappas, MD, PhD2, and Masood Ali Shaikh, MD, MPH1. (1) Health Dept., City of Chester, 5th & Welsh Streets, Municipal Building, Chester, PA 19013, (610)447-7770, ishaikh@chestercity.com, (2) Demographic and Health Surveys (Measure DHS +), MACRO International Inc., 11785 Beltsville Drive, Calverton, MD 20705
This study estimates the prevalence of impaired hearing and examines it relationship using logistic regression with gender, age, economic status and residential status in terms of urban/rural, using data from the National Health Survey of Pakistan (NHSP) 1990-94. A two-stage stratified sample design was adopted for NHSP. The survey population comprised of 10568 individuals aged 15 and above. STATA 7 was used to conduct a design-based analysis. Individuals who responded affirmatively to the question “Do you have difficulty in hearing?” were defined as ones with impaired hearing. The overall prevalence of impaired hearing was 12.6% and 95% confidence interval (CI) was 11.3 – 13.9. In men it was 10.8% (95% CI 9.5 – 12.0), while in women it was 14.3% (95% CI 12.2 – 16.3). Impaired hearing was significantly associated with age: using age group 15 – 24 as the reference, OR was 1.5 (95% CI 1.2 – 1.9) in the age group 25 – 44 years, OR 4.0 (95% CI 3.2 – 5.2) in the age group 45 – 64 years, and OR 12.3 (95% CI 9.6 – 15.7) in the age group 65 and above. Males were less likely to have impaired hearing OR 0.6 (95% CI 0.5 – 0.8). Economic and residential status was not significantly associated with impaired hearing. Efforts to remediate hearing disabilities need to focus upon the population above 45 years of age in both sexes.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.