Extended high-frequency hearing loss among Afro-Colombian adolescents from a rural area in Colombia: a cross-sectional study

Objectives Research trends concerning hearing loss within teen rural populations are limited and current evidence suggests that extended high-frequency audiometry can be a sensitive tool to detect subclinical hearing loss. Moreover, current research emphasises the importance of representing different ethnic populations in science. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of acquired hearing loss through conventional pure-tone (0.25-8kHz) and extended high frequency (EHF) (9-20kHz) audiometry in Afro-Colombian adolescents from a rural area in Colombia. Design Observational, cross-sectional study. Participants 230 Afro-Colombian adolescents aged 13-17 years who attended high school in a rural population from Cartagena, Colombia. Interventions Otoscopic examination, conventional (0.25-8kHz) and EHF (9-20kHz) audiometry tests were performed during February-March 2021. Sociodemographic and associated factor questionnaires were also applied to assess probable factors associated with EHF hearing loss. Main outcome measures Prevalence of acquired hearing loss using conventional and EHF audiometry, and factors associated with hearing loss. Results Of 230 adolescents who met the eligibility criteria, 133 (57.82%) were female. The mean age was 15.22 years (SD: 1.62). The prevalence of hearing loss in at least one ear assessed with conventional audiometry was 21.30% and with EHF audiometry 14.78%. The main abnormal otoscopic findings included: neotympanum (1.30%), myringosclerosis (0.87%) and monomeric scars (0.43%). Factors associated with a higher probability of EHF hearing loss found through logistic regression were older age (prevalence ratio (PR): 1.45; 95%CI 1.16 to 1.80), attending the 'Pico' four or more times a month (PR: 6.63; 95%CI 2.16 to 20.30), attending bars more than three times a month (PR: 1.14; 95%CI 1.03 to 1.59) and self-reported hearing difficulties (PR: 1.24; 95%CI 1.22 to 4.05). Conclusions Our results suggest that acquired hearing loss is already widespread among this young rural population.