May 28, 2015 01:20 PM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

New research suggests that hearing impairment is more prevalent among men and older people.

Hearing impairment is a common chronic condition that affects adults and occurs when there's a problem with or damage to one or more parts of the ear. Most hearing impairment is undiagnosed and untreated.

Researchers, led by Karen Cruickshanks of the University of Wisconsin, determined the prevalence of hearing impairment among Hispanic/Latino adults from diverse backgrounds and identified the factors associated with hearing impairment.

For the study, they collected and analyzed data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, a population-based sample of Hispanic/Latinos from New York, Chicago, Miami, and San Diego, Calif. This included more than 16,000 self-identified Hispanic/Latino individuals who were between the ages of 18 and 74.

Based on the findings, 15 percent of participants had hearing impairment and about half of them (8.24 percent) had hearing loss in both ears (bilateral hearing impairment). Researchers found that the prevalence of hearing impairment was higher among men and adults ages 45 and older.

Among people 45 and older, hearing impairment was higher ranging by Hispanic/Latino background from 29.35 percent for men with Dominican background to 41.20 percent for Puerto Rican men, and from 17.89 percent for women of Mexican background to 32.11 percent for women reporting a mixed Hispanic/Latino background.

Individuals who were more educated and had higher incomes reported less cases of hearing impairments.

"Future longitudinal studies of Hispanics/Latinos from diverse backgrounds could strengthen the determination of the risks associated with hearing loss. This longitudinal information is needed to identify modifiable risk factors to slow the progression of hearing loss with aging and to develop culturally appropriate effective intervention strategies to meet the communication needs of the Hispanic/Latino community," the study concludes.

The findings are detailed in the JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

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