Hearing Loss Common Among Middle-Aged Adults: Study

Healthy lifestyles may prevent or delay the problem, researchers say

Monday, February 21, 2011

Yet much of that hearing loss may be preventable, the researchers pointed out.MONDAY, Feb. 21 (HealthDay News) -- An estimated 21 percent of Americans aged 48 to 59 struggle with some kind of hearing loss, and the number rises to 90 percent of adults 80 and older, a new study says.

Factors that contribute to hearing loss include working in a noisy environment, having a parent who had hearing loss, and, possibly, heart disease. Hearing loss is associated with difficulty communicating, a poor quality of life, dementia and cognitive problems, the study authors noted./.../