Hearing impairment among children in Sweden with foreign-born parents and natives: A national Swedish study

Per Wändell, Xinjun Li, Axel C. Carlsson, Jan Sundquist, Kristina Sundquist

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Aim: We aimed to estimate the risk of hearing impairment in children and adolescents with foreign-born parents, compared to natives. Methods: A nationwide study of 1,923,590 (51.4% boys) individuals aged 0–17 years of age in Sweden. Hearing impairment was defined as at least one registered diagnosis in the National Patient Register between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2015. We used Cox regression analysis to estimate relative risk (hazard ratios with 99% confidence intervals) of incident hearing impairment in children with foreign-born parents compared to Swedish-born natives. Cox regression models were stratified by sex and adjusted for age, co-morbidities and socioeconomic status. Results: A total of 20,514 cases (53.7% boys) with extended sensorineural hearing impairment were registered, also including noise-induced hearing impairment and that from other causes, and 6172 cases (50.0% boys) with conductive hearing impairment. The risk of extended sensorineural hearing impairment was higher in boys with parents from Asia, especially from Iraq, fully adjusted HR (99% CI) 1.30 (1.17–1.4), and lower in boys with parents from Nordic countries, South Europe, and North America. Conclusion: The risk of extended sensorineural hearing impairment was higher in boys with parents from Asia, in particular Iraq.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2817-2824
Number of pages8
JournalActa Paediatrica, International Journal of Paediatrics
Volume110
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2021

Keywords

  • co-morbidities
  • foreign-born
  • gender
  • hearing impairment
  • neighbourhood
  • socioeconomic status

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