[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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Community-based hearing screening projects have the objectives of screening hearing to identify early and intervene in cases of hearing-impaired infants and to consider how to implement mass screening, education, and support suitable.
This project started in Tochigi prefecture in 2002.
Of 6,198 infants undergoing automatic auditory brainstem response (ABR), those rescreened accounted for 1.1% and those referred for diagnostic testing for 0.7%.
After initial thorough audiometric testing, 20 infants were suggested to have bilateral hearing loss, although this was finally reduced to 17.
Inconsistency between automatic and conventional ABR was found in 10 cases.
Automatic ABR showed 7 false-positive and 3 false-negative cases, all of which finally proved to be within normal range hearing.
Newborn-hearing screening enabled infants with hearing loss to be identified early.
Japan has yet, however, to implement needed medical treatment and appropriate educational and support systems for hearing-impaired infants.

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The Kanazawa Otolaryngological Association has conducted a biennial hearing examination program for the Kanazawa City government since 2000 targeting persons aged 65 to 74 years. Studying results for 15,589 persons seen from 2000 to 2005 including 3,247 undergoing more than one annual examination, we found results to be generally similar to those reported thus far. Of subjects, diagnosed with hearing loss, 16.4% were at 35dB or more. Almost 80% ranged from 35 to 50dB. Aging was the most common cause of hearing impairment, followed by chronic otitis media at 5-8% and obstruction of the auditory tube (or secretory otitis media) at 3-5%. Of examinees with hearing impairment, 6-7% required treatment. High-frequency hearing loss (presbycusis) accounted for 40.0% of those 65-66 years old and 66.8% of those 73-74 years old. Among the 3,247 persons undergoing more than one annual examination (mean follow-up: 6 years), those with obviously impaired hearing accounted for 2.1% with high-frequency hearing loss and 10.5% with no high-frequency hearing loss. Over 70% of those advised to use hearing aids were reluctant to do so. More work is thus needed with hearing-aid manufacturers to make devices more attractive to wear and use if we are to achieve the goals of the hearing examination program. Although we would like to continue the program by underlining the importance of hearing ability to administrative offices and local medical associations, there are limits on what local communities alone can do.

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