Purpose: to characterize the epidemiological profile of the hearing impaired population assisted in a public service regarding sociodemographic, clinical, assistance, communicative and comportamentals aspects. Methods: observational descriptive cross-sectional study conducted with secondary data. The sample consisted of 307 users, from May 2009 to May 2011. Was used protocol for the authorization to deliver Personal Hearing Amplifiers. Results: there was predominance of the users are female, seniors over 60 years, incomplete primary education and retiredes. Higher prevalence of users who had exams basic hearing at the time of the evaluation, moderate sensorineural hearing loss, presbycusis etiology. Regarding behavioral aspects, the users reported to present auditory reactions without the Personal Hearing Amplifiers and orality. Conclusion: the results of this study allow initially the planning of operational strategies and actions that can better serve the user , especially with more attention to the elderly over 60 years and intensifying guidance to mothers and pregnant women on the need to carry out the Newborn Hearing Screening to detect early hearing loss and beginning of the rehabilitation process. Keywords: Epidemiology; Hearing Loss; Unified Health System; Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences RESUMO Objetivo: caracterizar o perfil epidemiológico da população com deficiência auditiva, atendida em um serviço público, quanto a aspectos sociodemográficos, clínicos, assistenciais, comunicativos e comportamentais. Métodos: trata-se de estudo observacional descritivo transversal realizado com dados secundários. Foi utilizado o protocolo de avaliação para autorização da concessão de Aparelho de Amplificação Sonora Individual. A amostra foi constituída de 307 usuários atendidos no serviço de saúde no período maio 2009 a maio 2011. Resultados: houve predominância do gênero feminino, idosos acima de 60 anos, ensino fundamental incompleto e aposentados. Maior prevalência de usuários que apresentaram exames auditivos básicos no momento da avaliação, perda auditiva neurossensorial, de grau moderado, com etiologia provável presbiacusia. Nos aspectos comportamentais os usuários declararam apresentar reações auditivas sem o aparelho de amplificação sonora individual e oralidade. Conclusão: os resultados deste estudo possibilitam subsidiar inicialmente o planejamento de estraté-gias e ações operacionais que possam melhor atender ao usuário, sobretudo com maior atenção aos idosos acima de 60 anos e intensificação de orientações às mães e gestantes quanto à necessidade de realização da Triagem Auditiva Neonatal para detecção precoce da perda auditiva e início do processo de reabilitação.

The users showed greater satisfaction with the professional competence domain and lower satisfaction with the benefit for the family. In addition, assessment proved that access and communication are considered important quality indicators for the hearing health service according to users.

Introduction:The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 360 million people in the world suffer from disabling hearing loss. Purpose: Investigate the association between disabling hearing loss and clinical, sociodemographic, communicative, behavioral and health services characteristics in a population with hearing loss treated in a public healthcare center. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized secondary data from the assessment protocol for authorizing the provision of personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) used in an auditory health service. The sample consisted of 745 patients from May 2009 to May 2013. As a variable response to incapacitating hearing loss and as explanatory variables: healthcare, communicative and behavioral aspects, sociodemographic and clinical data. Descriptive analyzes, univariate logistic regression and hierarchical logistic model were performed. Results: Hierarchical logistic model detected five explanatory variables from distinct blocks which maintained a statistically significant association with disabling hearing loss: etiology of acquired hearing loss, elementary education, previous use of PSAPs, present hearing responses without the use of PSAPs, are accompanied at the time of the evaluation. Conclusion: In the study population, individuals with congenital hearing loss, elementary school education, who previously used hearing aids, absence of hearing reactions without hearing loss, or who had an accompanying person at the time of the evaluation were more likely to present disabling hearing loss when compared to individuals without these characteristics.