Table 2. Prevalence of Hearing Impairment Related to Firearm Use, U.S. Adults Age 20–69 years, NHANES, 2011–2012*.
| Firearms, Including Use for Recreation, Job, or Military (NHANES 2011–2012), U.S. Adults Age 20–69 Y | Prevalence (%) | Speech-Frequency Hearing Impairment,* % (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall † | Unilateral ‡ | Bilateral § | ||
| Not used | 54.3 | 11.4 (9.1–14.2) | 6.0 (4.5–8.0) | 5.4 (4.3–6.8) |
| Yes used | 45.7 | 17.3 (13.6–21.9) | 7.3 (5.7–9.5) | 10.0 (7.3–13.6) |
| <1,000 lifetime rounds fired | 32.6 | 14.0 (10.6–18.2) | 6.0 (4.2–8.4) | 8.0 (5.8–10.9) |
| ≥1,000 lifetime rounds fired | 12.9 | 26.0 (19.7–33.4) | 10.8 (8.4–13.7) | 15.2 (9.4–23.6) |
| High-Frequency Hearing Impairment, ‖ % (95% CI) | ||||
| Not used | 54.3 | 25.9 (23.5–28.6) | 11.6 (10.1–13.2) | 14.4 (12.7–16.3) |
| Yes used | 45.7 | 37.1 (31.9–42.6) | 12.3 (9.4–15.9) | 24.8 (20.6–29.5) |
| <1,000 lifetime rounds fired | 32.6 | 32.2 (26.8–38.2) | 10.2 (6.3–15.9) | 22.1 (17.6–27.4) |
| ≥1,000 lifetime rounds fired | 12.9 | 49.7 (40.2–59.2) | 18.0 (13.1–24.2) | 31.7 (22.5–42.6) |
CI, confidence interval; NHANES, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Note: Adapted from Hoffman et al. 46
*Defined as pure tone average of thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz greater than 25 dB hearing loss.
†
Refers to the sums of unilateral and bilateral hearing impairment, which means hearing loss in one or both ears.
‡
Refers to the pure tone average in only one ear exceeds 25 dB hearing loss.
§
Refers to the pure tone average in both ears exceed 25 dB hearing loss.
‖
Defined as pure tone average of thresholds at 3, 4, and 6 kHz greater than 25 dB hearing loss.