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Original Article

Prevalence of hearing impairment in a population in Sweden: Prevalencia de las pérdidas auditivas en una población de Suecia

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Pages 18-28 | Received 17 Dec 2001, Accepted 26 Mar 2002, Published online: 07 Jul 2009
 

Abstract

An epidemiological study was carried out, based on 590 randomly selected subjects aged from 20 to 80 years, in the province of Östergötland in Sweden. The results obtained were similar to published results from other countries, with an overall prevalence of subjects with average hearing threshold levels over the frequencies 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz (M4) equal to or exceeding 25 dB HL for the better ear (BE) of 16.9% (95% CI: 13.8 19.9%). For M4 BE±35 dB HL, the prevalence was 7.7% (95% CI: 5.5–9.8%), for M4 BE±45 dB HL, the prevalence was 3.3% (95% CI: 1.9–4.8%), and for M4 BE±65 dB HL, the prevalence was 0.2% (95% CI: 0.0–0.6%). The overall prevalence of reported tinnitus was 13.2% (95% CI: 10.5–16.0%). In the population under study, 7.7% of the subjects were estimated to benefit from a hearing aid, while the prevalence of hearing aid users was 2.4%.

Sumario: Se llevó a cabo un estudio epidemiológico en un grupo de 590 sujetos seleccionados al azar, cuyas edades fluctuaron de 20 a 80 años, en la provincia de Östergötland en Suecia. Los resultados obtenidos fueron similares a los publicados en otros paises con una prevalencia global de sujetos con niveles promedio de umbrales de audición en las frecuencias de 0.5, 1, 2 y 4 kHz (M4) iguales a, o sobrepasando el nivel de 25 dB HL en el mejor oído (BE) de 16.90% (95% CI: 13.8–19.9%). Para M4 BE±35 dB HL, la prevalencia fue de 7.7% (95% CI: 5.5–9.8%); para M4 BE±45 dB HL, la prevalencia fue de 3.3% (95% CI: 1.9–4.8%), y para M4 BE±65 dB HL, la prevalencia fue de 0.2% (95% CI: 0.0–0.6%). La prevalencia global del tinnitus reportado fue de 13.2% (95% CI: 10.5–16.0%). En la población en estudio se estimó que el 7.7% de los sujetos se beneficiarian de un auxiliar auditivo, mientras que la prevalencia de usuarios de auxiliares auditivos fue de 2.4%.

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