Prevalence of severe-to-Profound hearing loss in the adult Swedish population and comparison with cochlear implantation rate

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of disabling hearing loss is increasing worldwide. However, previous studies on hearing loss prevalence have enrolled small populations or only provided estimates. Aim: To establish the prevalence of severe-to-profound hearing loss (STPHL) in the adult Swedish population and compare it with the cochlear implantation rate in Sweden. Material and methods: We established a database containing over 15 million audiograms obtained from regions covering > 99% of the Swedish population by extracting audiogram data from the computer software application, Auditbase. We used this database to calculate the percentage of adult patients with bilateral hearing levels ≥ 70 dB. We collected data regarding cochlear implantations in Sweden from the National Board of Welfare and Health. Results: The prevalence of STPHL in the adult Swedish population was 0.28%. There were regional variations in the prevalence and rate of cochlear implantation; however, there was no association between both parameters. Conclusions: This study presents an updated and reliable prevalence figure for STPHL in Sweden. Significance: Patients with STPHL have extensive rehabilitation requirements; accordingly, it is important to determine the accurate prevalence of STPHL to inform the allocation of adequate resources.