Hearing loss and tinnitus are global public health concerns. There have been some studies suggesting a relationship between hearing loss and tinnitus and impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but there have been no large cross-sectional epidemiologic studies of a representative sample of the entire country population investigating this possible association. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between hearing loss and tinnitus and HRQoL in South Korea using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys during 2010–2012. Cross-sectional data of 11,266 adults who completed the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were analyzed. Subjects were divided into four groups as follows: normal hearing without tinnitus, normal hearing with tinnitus, hearing loss without tinnitus, and hearing loss with tinnitus. Among the population that was ≥19 years of age, the prevalence of unilateral hearing loss was 9.69% and that of tinnitus in the prior 12 months was 32.76%. The hearing loss with tinnitus group had the highest percentage of subjects who responded “some or extreme problems” in all five dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression) of HRQoL. After adjustment for age, gender, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol intake, regular exercise, house income, education level, diabetes, hypertension, and stress level, the HRQoL odds ratios (OR) were 1.47 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07–2.02) for mobility, 1.59 (95% CI, 1.07–2.37) for usual activity, and 1.84 (95% CI, 1.25–2.70) for anxiety/depression in the hearing loss with tinnitus group, compared with the normal hearing without tinnitus group. The ORs for the normal hearing with tinnitus group compared with the hearing loss without tinnitus group was increased in all five dimensions of HRQoL after adjustment for confounders. Hearing loss with tinnitus has a considerable impact on HRQoL in the Korean population. In our study, the hearing loss without tinnitus group showed better a HRQoL than the normal hearing with tinnitus group.

This study aimed to investigate prognostic factors in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL). From January 2007 to December 2011, a retrospective chart review identified 494 consecutive patients with ISSNHL. Demographic, audiometric, and clinical data were analyzed using a logistic regression test. Hearing recovery from ISSNHL was significantly associated with factors such as age, duration from onset of symptoms to commencement of treatment, severity of the initial pure tone threshold, and the treatment method. Intratympanic (IT) steroid administration alone showed a comparable efficiency to oral steroid administration with or without IT steroid injection. In patients who received IT steroid injection, the duration from onset to treatment, severity of initial hearing loss, and sequential IT steroid injection following systemic steroid administration were statistically associated with hearing improvement. Age, severity of initial pure tone threshold, duration from onset to treatment, initial speech discrimination, and initial pure tone threshold are statistically significant prognostic factors related to hearing improvement in ISSNHL. IT steroid injection as an initial single treatment is comparable to systemic oral steroid administration.

Objectives: Age-related hearing loss (ARHL), also known as presbycusis, is a chronic disorder characterized by impairment of the transduction of acoustic signals. This study analysed the prevalence and demographic characteristics of ARHL in the Korean population. Methods: We used the data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2009 to 2012 and analysed the association between age and hearing impairment. A total of 16,799 adults were selected for the current study. Physical examinations, blood tests, otoscopic examinations, and hearing tests were performed. The demographic variables included age, gender, obesity, economic status, education level, noise exposure history, and underlying diseases. Results: Among 16,799 participants, the prevalence of unilateral hearing loss was 8% (1,349 people), and bilateral hearing loss was 5.9% (989 people). Men were 53.4% more likely to have hearing loss than women. Age and underlying diseases, like hypertension, diabetes, and abdominal obesity, were significantly associated with hearing loss (P < 0.0001). Further, mental health factors, such as cognitive function, depression, and suicidal ideation, were related to hearing loss. The prevalence of hearing loss increased with advancing years, especially in the high frequency of 6 kHz, with a sharply increase in patients aged 65 and over. Conclusion: The analysis of auditory performance in the Korean population confirmed the association of high-frequency hearing loss with advancing age. A threshold of 6 kHz should be included to correctly diagnose hearing impairment in elderly patients. Patients with ARHL should be provided with suitable aural rehabilitation that includes active high-frequency control.

Chronic laryngitis (CL) has been described as chronic inflammation of the larynx. CL have various causes such as long-term smoking, acid reflux, voice overuse, bronchitis, allergies, pneumonia, excessive exposure to toxic chemicals and complications from the flu or a chronic cold. However, the prevalence of CL and role of air pollution in the etiology is uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between CL and particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm (PM₁₀) in South Korea using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) during 2008–2012. KNHANES is a cross-sectional survey of the civilian, non-institutionalized population of South Korea (n = 21,116). A field survey team that included an otolaryngologist moved with a mobile examination unit and performed interviews and physical examinations. The mean annual concentrations of ambient PM10, SO2, O3, NO2, and CO levels in Korea were determined from monitoring station data. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the relationship of air pollution to CL. Among the population ≥ 19 years of age, the weighted prevalence of CL was 3.37 ± 0.30% (95% confidence interval, 2.79–3.95%). CL was more prevalent in men, current smokers, and those with lower household income and prevalence increased with age. A significant decrease over time was observed in the prevalence of CL (P for trend = 0.0049) and the annual average concentrations of PM₁₀ (P for trend < 0.0001) from 2008 to 2012. In a multivariate model, the factors associated with CL included PM₁₀ (odds ratio [OR], 1.378, p = 0.0457), age (OR, 1.020, p<0.0001), sex (OR, 0.734, p = 0.0179), and smoking status (OR, 1.438, p = 0.0054). Elevated PM10 exposures could be associated with increased risk of CL in South Koreans. Further epidemiological and experimental studies are necessary to clarify the impact of chronic PM₁₀ exposure on CL.

This study explores the internal standards for hearing tests and benefits of implementing international standard protocols, including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and discusses how ISO and IEC standards provide a framework for designing, calibrating, assessing hearing test instruments and methods, and exchanging and comparing data globally. ISO and IEC standards for hearing tests improve accuracy, reliability, and consistency of test results by applying standardized methods and environments. Moreover, they promote international harmonization and data interoperability, enabling information exchange and research collaboration. Those standards for hearing tests are beneficial but have challenges and limitations, such as variation in equipment and calibration, lag in updating standards, variation in implementation and compliance, and lack of coverage of clinical aspects, cultural diversity, and linguistic diversity. These affect the quality and interpretation of test results. Adapting ISO or IEC standards locally would improve their applicability and acceptability, while balancing customization and compatibility with global standards.