Studies on Hearing Loss & Injuries

To avoid accidentally harming or injuring one’s self, being alert is an important first step. The list of phenomena that can negatively impact alertness is practically endless – but our first line of defense is the sensory information our brain receives to process. A partial loss in sensory effectiveness can results in an increased risk of accidental harm and injury. In the following paragraphs, we will examine some data that discusses the relationship between impaired hearing, accidental injury, and the outcomes and methods of prevention associated this this dynamic. First, let’s look at a study involving approximately 232 million people who were asked to characterize their hearing on a scale from “excellent” on one end, to “a lot of trouble hearing” and “totally deaf” on the other. This is a multivariate analysis that accounts for difference in sex, age, and other factors. About 50.1% of those polled stated that their hearing was in a category other than “excellent”. Across all of the people polled, the rate of accidental injury was discovered to be around 3%. The rate of accidental injury for those in the “a lot of trouble hearing” group rises to as much as 5%. There is a steady increase in injury rates that directly correlates as the severity of hearing impairment grows more severe. Those in the “a lot of trouble hearing” group experience accidental injury about twice as much as those with excellent hearing. Accidental harm can result not only in potential physical peril for those unlucky enough to experience it, but it has negative financial effects in the US as well. In 2013, a CDC analysis estimated the cost over the life of the people who accidentally injure themselves can be as high as $253,000,000,000 (253 billion). The mean value for an individual in this group is about $14,000 (14 thousand). If the already obvious potential negative outcomes of accidental harm weren’t enough – this study provides a compelling reason to avoid accidental injury all on its own. Despite this data being mostly about a comprehensive view of accidental injuries – a strong co-morbid correlation between hearing impairment and injury still remains present. We cannot answer with certainty “why” impaired hearing and accidental harm are so closely correlated, but we can make an educated guess as to why this is the case. Many sources of danger create an auditory trigger individuals can use to avoid the potential harm those sources could bring to bear. Avoiding danger based on audio prompts is both instinctive and reflexive for humans. People also tend to use audio queues to warn others of danger when their alertness might be compromised. “Be careful!” “Look out!” “Duck!” There is no shortage of ways that humans can warn one-another. Everyone experiences a moment of impaired alertness at some point in their life. It’s very helpful to be able to take advantage of the alertness of others to avoid harm to ourselves. Society makes use of audio queues for most warnings as well. Sirens are a universal sign to increase alertness. Warnings in broadcasts have iconic sounds that direct us to look at a displayed message in an instinctive manner. In the United States, most places have specific laws for smoke alarms to be present in multiple places throughout homes and public buildings. A magazine called “Ear and Hearing” studied the efficacy of smoke alarms for those who experience impaired hearing. This 2009 study discovered flashing visual cues were ineffective for waking a sleeping person to warn them of danger. Other sensory strategies were tested with varying levels of effectiveness – but methods involving audio still had the most success. This fact remained true even for those with impaired hearing. Lower frequencies worked best, and hearing aids improved the efficacy of all auditory cues. If you have ever experienced some level of hearing impairment, you should get an evaluation from a medical professional. Quantifying your auditory deficit will help you move towards taking steps to improve both social and safety outcomes. All evidence shows that getting a hearing aid is universally a good thing for anyone experience hearing impairments. Your safety rates improve, your social participation improves, and the combination of all the positive effects improves the overall life experience for those who obtain hearing aids.