Table 4. Multivariate Adjusted Odds Ratios for Good Hearinga.
| Variables Related to Good Hearing | Odds Ratio (95% CI) |
|---|---|
| Persistent tinnitus | 0.35 (0.17-0.71) |
| Tinnitus in past year | 0.32 (0.17-0.62) |
| Overall HEI score | 1.01 (0.98-1.03) |
| Noise exposure | |
| Loud noise exposure outside work | 0.42 (0.21-0.87) |
| Loud noise job | 0.57 (0.29-1.14) |
| Firearms exposure outside work | 0.44 (0.20-0.96) |
| Use ear protection around firearms | 0.92 (0.15-5.74) |
| Ever worn a hearing aid | 0.19 (0.03-1.03) |
| Overweight | 0.33 (0.19-0.57) |
| Arthritis | 0.60 (0.29-1.23) |
| Numbness in hands/feet (past 3 mo) | 0.62 (0.32-1.17) |
| Pain/tingling in hands/feet (past 3 mo) | 0.31 (0.14-0.66) |
| Cancer | 0.72 (0.26-1.98) |
| Balance issues | 0.46 (0.24-0.88) |
| Confusion or memory loss | 0.19 (0.05-0.71) |
| Physical, mental, emotional limitations | 0.22 (0.08-0.64) |
| Heavy alcohol use | 0.62 (0.27-1.43) |
| Regular OTC drug use | 0.48 (0.22-1.06) |
| Prescription drug use - past month | 0.46 (0.24-0.89) |
Abbreviations: HD, hearing difficulty; HEI, healthy eating index; GH, good hearing; OTC, over-the-counter.
a
Adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and low- and high-frequency pure-tone average. Hearing loss defined as pure-tone average (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 kHz >25 dB HL).