Association Between Speech Reception Threshold in Noise and Multimorbidity: The UK Biobank Study

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between hearing function, as approached with the functional auditory capacity, and multimorbidity.Study DesignCross‐sectional study.SettingThe UK Biobank was established from 2006 to 2010 in the United Kingdom. This cross‐sectional analysis included 165,524 participants who provided baseline information on hearing function.MethodsFunctional auditory capacity was measured with a digit triplet test. Three categories were defined according to the speech reception threshold in noise (SRTn): normal (SRTn < −5.5 dB signal‐to‐noise ratio [SNR]), insufficient (SRTn ≥ −5.5 to ≤ −3.5 dB SNR) and poor hearing function (SRTn > −3.5 dB SNR). To define multimorbidity, 9 chronic diseases were considered, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia, Parkinson's disease, stroke, cancer, depression, osteoarthritis, coronary heart disease, and diabetes; multimorbidity was defined as the coexistence of 2 or more in the same individual. Analyses were conducted using logistic models adjusted for relevant confounders.ResultsAmong the study participants, 54.5% were women, and the mean (range) age was 56.7 (39‐72) years. The prevalence of insufficient and poor hearing function and multimorbidity was 13% and 13.2%, respectively. In comparison with having a normal SRTn, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of multimorbidity associated with insufficient SRTn was 1.13 (1.08‐1.18), and with poor SRTn was 1.25 (1.14‐1.37).ConclusionInsufficient and poor hearing function was associated with multimorbidity. This association suggests common biological pathways for many of the considered morbidities.