health
Secondhand smoke exposure linked to hearing loss in youths
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Aug. 1, 2011
Exposure to tobacco smoke increases the risk of hearing loss among adolescents, according to a study published in the July Archives of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery.
Researchers examined data on 1,533 adolescents 12 to 19 who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2005 and 2006. The participants, who were not actively smoking, received blood tests for cotinine and hearing tests. Cotinine is a metabolite of nicotine and indicates tobacco smoke exposure.
The study showed that teens exposed to secondhand smoke have a higher rate of low-frequency and high-frequency hearing loss than individuals who live in a smoke-free environment (link). Additionally, more than 80% of the adolescents with hearing problems were not aware of the issue.
Mild hearing loss can cause children to have trouble understanding what is being said in the classroom, among other problems, the study authors said. They recommend that physicians regularly screen the hearing of children who are exposed to secondhand smoke.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/08/01/hlbf0801.htm.
