An Analysis of Risk Factors for Hearing Function in Adults Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore risk factors for hearing loss or affecting hearing function in adults living with HIV. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed. A non-probability purposive sampling method was used to select and recruit 132 participants aged 18 years and above from an HIV clinic within the Academic Hospital in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Participants’ hearing were tested using, video otoscopy, tympanometry, pure tones, and speech audiometry. Of the 22.73% prevalence of hearing loss in the sample, the multiple logistic regression, controlling for other variables, indicated that age (AOR) = 1.049; 95%CI: 1.0005 to 1.0978) (p-value = 0.048) and extended use of antiretroviral therapy (AOR) = 1.0073; 95%CI: 0.9312 to 1.0896)) (p-value = 0.856) were strongly associated with the development of hearing loss. Although the odds of male participants to have hearing loss was 2.3572 (95%CI: 0.9394 to 5.915) compared to females, this association was marginal (p-value = 0.068). Current findings provide evidence for the risk factors for hearing loss in adults living with HIV. Given that an extended use of ART and a higher number of CD4 are strongly associated with hearing loss, these findings raise important implications for a focused monitoring for this population in order to identify early signs of hearing loss and implement timeous intervention to reduce the potential impact of hearing loss.