MONDAY, Feb. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Hearing loss is associated
with an increased risk of falling, according to a new study.
Johns Hopkins researchers analyzed data from more than 2,000
people ages 40 to 69 who took part in the U.S. National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2001 to 2004. The
participants had their hearing tested and answered questions
about whether they had had a fall in the past year. The study
found that people with a 25-decibel hearing loss (classified as
mild) were nearly three times more likely to have a history of
falling than those with no hearing loss. Every additional 10
decibels of hearing loss meant an increased 1.4-fold risk of
falling. The findings held after the researchers accounted for
other factors linked with falling, such as age, sex, race, heart
disease People with impaired hearing don't have good awareness
of their overall environment, which makes them more likely to
trip and fall, said study author Dr. Frank Lin, an assistant
professor at the Johns Hopkins Uni