Prevalence of Hearing Impairment and its Effect on Daily Activities among the Elderly in Baghdad, Iraq, 2022

Background: Hearing loss is one of the most frequent sensory impairments and is recognized as a major disability and has been independently associated with poorer physical functioning. Therefore, this study aimed to provide an overview of hearing loss among older adults in Iraq, focusing on its prevalence and impact on daily life. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed among elderly individuals attending the geriatric outpatient clinic at Baghdad Teaching Hospital at the Medical City Center in Iraq from January to June 2022. Data were collected through direct interviews using a structured questionnaire, including the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly–Screening to assess participants' perceived social and emotional effects of hearing loss and the Older Americans Resources and Services scale to evaluate both basic and instrumental activities of daily living. Then, pure-tone audiometry was performed to screen for hearing impairment. Results: Among 330 participants (mean age 68 ± 6 years), hearing impairment was detected in 25.4% using pure-tone audiometry and in 16.4% using the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly–Screening. In pure-tone audiometry, measured hearing impairment was more common among males (32.3%) than females (12.9%). Significant associations were found between pure tone audiometry-measured hearing impairment and several factors, including age, occupation, hypertension, and smoking (P ≤ 0.05). Additionally, a significant relationship was observed between pure-tone audiometry-measured hearing loss and self-reported hearing handicap (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: The prevalence of hearing loss increased with age and was higher among elderly men. Health education