Understanding pediatric inpatient conductive hearing loss: An analysis of patient demographics

Objective

Hearing loss is a common sensory impairment in children that affects quality of life and development. Early intervention, such as hearing aids and communication therapies, can help children overcome these challenges and lessen the impact on their development. The objective of this study was to identify specific patient demographic factors correlated with the prevalence of pediatric conductive hearing loss.

Study design

The study utilized the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality which collects inpatient information from hospitals for patients under 21 years old. We included all patients discharged in 2016 diagnosed with conductive hearing loss, and excluded neonatal patients discharged within 28 days of birth.

Methods

Statistical analyses were performed using R Studio and IBM SPSS Statistics. Weighted odds ratios were calculated for conductive hearing loss in relation to race and income, and a multivariate regression analysis examined associations between demographic variables and race categories in conductive hearing loss.

Results

The prevalence of conductive hearing loss (CHL) in pediatric patients in 2016 was 51.62 cases per 100,000 patients. Non-Hispanic White patients had the highest prevalence, while Black patients had the highest likelihood of CHL compared to the overall population. Lower income levels were associated with a decreased probability of CHL diagnosis. After adjusting for age, sex, hospital region, insurance, and income on multivariate analysis, White and Black patients were less likely to be diagnosed with CHL. Furthermore, patients in specific income quartiles also had lower CHL likelihood compared to the general population.

Conclusion

While Black patients had a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with CHL than the general population, socioeconomic factors such as income greatly influenced the likelihood of CHL diagnosis. Other significant factors included income, region of the country, sex, and age. Further research is needed to better understand and address healthcare disparities related to pediatric hearing loss.