CORRELATIONS BETWEEN PRESBYACUSIS AND EXTRINSIC NOXIOUS FACTORS

As part of the longitudinal gerontological and geriatric population st udy of 70-year-olds in Goteborg, Sweden, the possible correlation betw een presbyacusis and extrinsic factors affecting health in elderly per sons was investigated. Participants from one cohort (F 01) were studie d longitudinally at ages 70, 75, 79 and 85 years, and from another coh ort (F 06) at age 70 years. A weak correlation between hearing loss an d smoking, alcohol abuse and head trauma was found for men and between hearing loss and intake of pharmaceutical agents (especially salicyla tes) for women.