Association of Increased Risk of Injury in Adults With Hearing Loss: A Population-Based Cohort Study

This nationwide retrospective cohort study examines the association between adults with hearing loss (HL) and subsequent injury risk. Utilizing data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (2000-2017), the study included 19,480 patients with HL and 77,920 matched controls. Over an average follow-up of 9.08 years, 18.30% of the 97,400 subjects sustained subsequent all-cause injuries. The injury incidence was significantly higher in the HL group compared to the control group (24.04% vs. 16.86%, p < .001). After adjusting for demographics and comorbidities, the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for injury in the HL cohort was 2.35 (95% CI: 2.22-2.49). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significant differences in injury-free survival between the HL and control groups (log-rank test, p < .001). The increased risk was consistent across age groups (18-64 and >= 65 years), with the HL group showing a higher risk of unintentional injuries (aHR: 2.62; 95% CI: 2.45-2.80), including falls (aHR: 2.83; 95% CI: 2.52-3.17) and traffic-related injuries (aHR: 2.38; 95% CI: 2.07-2.74). These findings highlight an independent association between HL and increased injury risk, underscoring the need for healthcare providers to counsel adult HL patients on preventive measures.