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Hearing loss is associated with decreased nonverbal intelligence in rural Nepal.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Emmett, SD; Schmitz, J; Pillion, J; Wu, L; Khatry, SK; Karna, SL; LeClerq, SC; West, KP
Published in: Otology & neurotology : official publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology
January 2015

To evaluate the association between adolescent and young-adult hearing loss and nonverbal intelligence in rural Nepal.Cross-sectional assessment of hearing loss among a population cohort of adolescents and young adults.Sarlahi District, southern Nepal.Seven hundred sixty-four individuals aged 14 to 23 years.Evaluation of hearing loss, defined by World Health Organization criteria of pure-tone average greater than 25 decibels (0.5, 1, 2, 4 kHz), unilaterally and bilaterally.Nonverbal intelligence, as measured by the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence, 3rd Edition standardized score (mean, 100; standard deviation, 15).Nonverbal intelligence scores differed between participants with normal hearing and those with bilateral (p = 0.04) but not unilateral (p = 0.74) hearing loss. Demographic and socioeconomic factors including male sex; higher caste; literacy; education level; occupation reported as student; and ownership of a bicycle, watch, and latrine were strongly associated with higher nonverbal intelligence scores (all p < 0.001). Subjects with bilateral hearing loss scored an average of 3.16 points lower (95% confidence interval, -5.56 to -0.75; p = 0.01) than subjects with normal hearing after controlling for socioeconomic factors. There was no difference in nonverbal intelligence score based on unilateral hearing loss (0.97; 95% confidence interval, -1.67 to 3.61; p = 0.47).Nonverbal intelligence is adversely affected by bilateral hearing loss even at mild hearing loss levels. Socio economic well-being appears compromised in individuals with lower nonverbal intelligence test scores.

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Published In

Otology & neurotology : official publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology

DOI

EISSN

1537-4505

ISSN

1531-7129

Publication Date

January 2015

Volume

36

Issue

1

Start / End Page

86 / 92

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Rural Population
  • Prevalence
  • Otorhinolaryngology
  • Nepal
  • Male
  • Intelligence Tests
  • Intelligence
  • Humans
 

Citation

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Emmett, S. D., Schmitz, J., Pillion, J., Wu, L., Khatry, S. K., Karna, S. L., … West, K. P. (2015). Hearing loss is associated with decreased nonverbal intelligence in rural Nepal. Otology & Neurotology : Official Publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology, 36(1), 86–92. https://doi.org/10.1097/mao.0000000000000619
Emmett, Susan D., Jane Schmitz, Joseph Pillion, Lee Wu, Subarna K. Khatry, Sureshwar L. Karna, Steven C. LeClerq, and Keith P. West. “Hearing loss is associated with decreased nonverbal intelligence in rural Nepal.Otology & Neurotology : Official Publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology 36, no. 1 (January 2015): 86–92. https://doi.org/10.1097/mao.0000000000000619.
Emmett SD, Schmitz J, Pillion J, Wu L, Khatry SK, Karna SL, et al. Hearing loss is associated with decreased nonverbal intelligence in rural Nepal. Otology & neurotology : official publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology. 2015 Jan;36(1):86–92.
Emmett, Susan D., et al. “Hearing loss is associated with decreased nonverbal intelligence in rural Nepal.Otology & Neurotology : Official Publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology, vol. 36, no. 1, Jan. 2015, pp. 86–92. Epmc, doi:10.1097/mao.0000000000000619.
Emmett SD, Schmitz J, Pillion J, Wu L, Khatry SK, Karna SL, LeClerq SC, West KP. Hearing loss is associated with decreased nonverbal intelligence in rural Nepal. Otology & neurotology : official publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology. 2015 Jan;36(1):86–92.

Published In

Otology & neurotology : official publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology

DOI

EISSN

1537-4505

ISSN

1531-7129

Publication Date

January 2015

Volume

36

Issue

1

Start / End Page

86 / 92

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Rural Population
  • Prevalence
  • Otorhinolaryngology
  • Nepal
  • Male
  • Intelligence Tests
  • Intelligence
  • Humans