Prevalence, severity, and mental health correlates of hyperacusis in Palestinian youth.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence, severity, and risk factors of hyperacusis in young Palestinian adults facing a challenging socio-political context without self-reported ear, hearing, or neurological disorders.

Design: A cross-sectional study using an Arabic Khalfa Hyperacusis Questionnaire, with scores ≥21 indicating hyperacusis. Risk factors were measured via a questionnaire developed in-house. Exploratory analyses examined attentional, social, and emotional dimensions of hyperacusis.

Study sample: Participants consisted of 271 university students (82 males) aged 18 - 25 years.

Results: Hyperacusis prevalence was 18.8%, with a mean score of 24.96 (SD = 4.35), and 7.0% had severe hyperacusis (score ≥28). Mental health issues, balance disturbances, chronic tinnitus, and noise exposure were associated with hyperacusis presence. Mental health issues and balance disturbances were linked to higher scores across all hyperacusis dimensions, chronic tinnitus to social and emotional dimensions, and noise exposure to the emotional dimension. Anxiety and depression were strongly associated with worse hyperacusis outcomes across all dimensions.

Conclusion: Moderate-to-severe hyperacusis affects a large proportion of young Palestinian adults, which may be associated with anxiety and depression. Future research should use standardised assessments of mental health conditions to understand their relationship with hyperacusis, which could be essential to managing hyperacusis and improving quality of life.