Affiliation:
1. Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Stanford University School of Medicine Stanford California USA
2. Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth Hanover New Hampshire USA
Abstract
AbstractObjectiveTo determine whether immigrant status is associated with likelihood of audiogram and hearing aid use among US adults with hearing loss.Study DesignCross‐sectional study.SettingNationally representative data from 2009 to 2010, 2011 to 2012, 2015 to 2016, and 2017 to 2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles.MethodsThis cross‐sectional study of 4 merged cycles of NHANES included 12,455 adults with subjective (self‐reported) or objective (audiometric) hearing loss. Sequentially adjusted logistic regressions were used to assess the association of immigration status with likelihood of having undergone audiogram among those with objective and self‐reported hearing loss, and with likelihood of hearing aid use among candidates with objective hearing loss.ResultsImmigrants were less likely to have received an audiogram among subjects with subjective (odds ratio [OR]: 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75‐0.87), and objective (OR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.72‐0.81) hearing loss, compared to nonimmigrants. The association persisted for those with subjective (OR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.81‐0.96), and objective (OR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.80‐0.96) hearing loss after adjusting for sociodemographic factors, comorbidities, insurance, and hearing quality, but disappeared in both groups after adjusting for English proficiency. Immigrants were less likely to use hearing aids (OR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.87‐0.93). However, this association disappeared (OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.93‐1.04) in the adjusted model.ConclusionImmigrant status is a significant barrier to hearing health care and is associated with lower rates of audiometric testing and hearing aid use among individuals with hearing loss.