Risk factors and hearing outcomes in infants and young children in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Nasim B Khan, Lavanithum Joseph
PMID 39221742WHAT IT FOUND
Recurrent ear infections and HIV were the most common risks in this South African cohort, appearing in 43% and 16% of files.
The standard US screening list missed these local drivers, meaning risk checks must be adapted to the region to catch preventable hearing loss.
Key findings
01Recurrent otitis media and HIV infection were the most prevalent risk factors recorded in the files, present in 43% and 16% of the sample respectively.
02Conductive hearing loss was the most common type of loss found, affecting just over 50% of the participants.
03Multivariable analysis was not possible because key risk factor data were missing from the medical records.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study relied on existing paper records, which were often incomplete or illegible, leading to missing data for many risk factors. Because of the missing data, the researchers could not use multivariable logistic regression to adjust for confounding factors, limiting the ability to say which risk factors were independently predictive. The sites were conveniently sampled, which may affect how well the results represent the entire province. It is unclear if missing risk factor data meant the child did not have the risk, or if the information was simply not recorded by the clinician.
Declared interests
The research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that the absence of a JCIH risk factor means a child is not at risk for hearing loss. In this study, 27% of children had no JCIH risks, and the most common local drivers like recurrent otitis media and HIV are not fully captured by standard US-based screening lists.