A comprehensive study of the prevalence and risk factors for noise-induced hearing loss shows that men, especially those who are white and married, are significantly more at risk than women, according to new research.
The study, which analyzed the audiometric testing data from 5,290 people between 20 and 69, indicates that more than 13 percent of subjects suffer from the noise-induced loss, which would correspond to about 24 million Americans suffering from the ailment. The strongest association was of gender, with men being 2.5 times more likely to develop the hearing loss than women, according to the research, presented at the recent American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation Annual Meeting and OTO EXPO in San Diego.
Among that group, married white (non-Hispanic) men represent the highest-risk group.

This type of hearing loss is a preventable and increasingly prevalent disorder that results from exposure to high-intensity sound, especially over a long period of time.

The authors believe this is the first study of its kind to delve in to the demographics using the most recent figures from 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. They believe this information can improve education, preventive, and screening efforts.