Association between hearing loss and trauma based on population data of Korea.

Background: Although several studies have been conducted to assess the association between hearing loss (HL) and trauma, no studies have analyzed trauma comprehensively based on population-based data.

Objectives: To investigate the association between HL and trauma in daily life using National Health Insurance Service National Sample Cohort data of Korea.

Materials and methods: People who were registered with severe or mild hearing disability by the Korean government from 2002 to 2015, were included in this study. Trauma was defined as an outpatient visit or admission under diagnostic codes associated with trauma. The risk for trauma was analyzed using multiple logistic regression model.

Results: There were 5,114 subjects in the mild hearing disability group and 1,452 in the severe hearing disability group. The risk for trauma was significantly higher in the mild and severe hearing disability groups than in the control group. The risk was higher in the mild hearing disability group than in the severe hearing disability group.

Conclusions and significance: Individuals with hearing disability are at a higher risk for trauma based on population-based data in Korea, which indicates that HL increases the risk for trauma.