Hearing problems in Mexican american elderly

Objective: To investigate hearing problems in a sample of elderly Mexican Americans. Study Design: A longitudinal field study of a cohort of 3,050 subjects with in-person baseline and a 2-year follow-up. Population- based, cross-sectional, weighted data were analyzed. Settings and Subjects: Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (H- EPESE) consisting of Mexican Americans aged 65 and older provided basic health data using area probability sampling in five southwestern states during 1993 and 1994. Main Outcome Measures: Information was collected regarding demographics, medical conditions, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Hearing problems were identified through a series of self-perceived hearing problem questions, hearing aid use, and inability to hear a normal voice. Results: A hearing problem was identified in 24.5% of this cohort (weighted, 748/3,049). Statistical analysis using a multiple logistic regression model was performed to identify factors jointly associated with hearing problems. Age group (odds ratio [OR] = 2.7, p < 0.0001), male sex (OR = 1.9, p 0.0001), hypertension (OR = 1.4, p < 0.001), arthritis (OR = 1.5, p < 0.0005), significant depressive symptomatology (OR = 1.4, p < 0.002), and ever having consumed alcohol (OR = 1.4, p < 0.005) were jointly statistically significantly associated with hearing problems. Number of cigarettes smoked daily (e.g., 0, 1-10, 11-20, etc.) was nearly significantly associated with a hearing problem in the multivariate model (OR = 1.1 for each increased in category, p < 0.07). Conclusions: Hearing problems are common in this population. Control of hypertension, an amelioration of arthritis, and decreasing the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes may lower the likelihood of development of a hearing problem. Initial depressive symptomatology may have occurred subsequent to the hearing loss. A longitudinal study would allow determination of the direction of causation.