Prevalence of Childhood Hearing Loss and Secular Trends: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Wang J 1 , Sung V 2 , Carew P 3 , Burt RA 1 , Liu M 1 , Wang Y 4 Show all authors , Afandi A 5 , Wake M 6

Affiliations 

  • 1 Murdoch Children's Research Institute (J Wang, V Sung, P Carew, RA Burt, M Liu, Y Wang, and M Wake); Department of Paediatrics (J Wang, V Sung, RA Burt, M Liu, Y Wang, and M Wake)
  • 2 Murdoch Children's Research Institute (J Wang, V Sung, P Carew, RA Burt, M Liu, Y Wang, and M Wake); Department of General Medicine (V Sung), Royal Children's Hospital; Department of Paediatrics (J Wang, V Sung, RA Burt, M Liu, Y Wang, and M Wake)
  • 3 Murdoch Children's Research Institute (J Wang, V Sung, P Carew, RA Burt, M Liu, Y Wang, and M Wake); Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology (P Carew), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
  • 4 Murdoch Children's Research Institute (J Wang, V Sung, P Carew, RA Burt, M Liu, Y Wang, and M Wake)
  • 5 Kulliyyah of Allied Health Sciences (A Afandi), International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
  • 6 Murdoch Children's Research Institute (J Wang, V Sung, P Carew, RA Burt, M Liu, Y Wang, and M Wake); Department of Paediatrics (J Wang, V Sung, RA Burt, M Liu, Y Wang, and M Wake); Department of Paediatrics and The Liggins Institute (M Wake), The University of Auckland, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand. Electronic address: melissa.wake@mcri.edu.au
Acad Pediatr, 2019 07;19(5):504-514.
PMID: 30872125 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2019.01.010

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Better epidemiologic information on childhood hearing loss would inform research priorities and efforts to prevent its progression.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate prevalence and secular trends in children's hearing loss.

DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE and Embase from January 1996 to August 2017.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included epidemiologic studies in English reporting hearing loss prevalence.

STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: The modified Leboeuf-Yde and Lauritsen tool was used to assess methodological quality. Meta-analyses combined study-specific estimates using random-effects models.

PARTICIPANTS: Children 0 to 18 years of age.

RESULTS: Among 88 eligible studies, 43.2% included audiometric measurement of speech frequencies. In meta-analyses, pooled prevalence estimates of slight or worse bilateral speech frequency losses >15 decibels hearing level (dB HL) were 13.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.0-17.0). Using progressively more stringent cutpoints, pooled prevalence estimates were 8.1% (95% CI, 1.3-19.8) with >20 dB HL, 2.2% (95% CI, 1.4-3.0) with >25 dB HL, 1.8% (95% CI, 0.4-4.1) with >30 dB HL, and 0.9% (95% CI, 0.1-2.6) with >40 dB HL. Also, 8.9% (95% CI, 6.4-12.3) had likely sensorineural losses >15 dB HL in 1 or both ears, and 1.2% (95% CI, 0.5-2.1) had self-reported hearing loss. From 1990 to 2010, the prevalence of losses >15 dB HL in 1 or both ears rose substantially (all P for trend

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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