Development and implementation of a database for monitoring and controlling hearing loss

Abstract

Introduction: Hearing loss is a common condition. We know that more than 5% of the po- pulation suffers from disabling hearing loss. Its prevalence increases with age; it is estimated that by the year 2050, over 900 million people worldwide will experience it, and 700 million will require rehabilitation with hearing aids, surgery, or cochlear implants, in addition to follow-up care Aim: 1. Achieve the development of a platform that allows for better con­trol of patients with hearing loss. 2. Establish a database that facilitates the conducting of research studies. Materials and Methods: A database was developed using the REDCap platform. All patients diagnosed with permanent hearing loss were included. Relevant me­dical histories, the characteristics of their condition, and the interventions performed for study and treatment were archived. Additionally, appointments for patient follow-up were scheduled. Results: The program was implemented in May 2023, and within 8 months of usage, 245 patients were successfully enrolled, with an average age of the patients was 56 years and 49.7% female. 23.6% had a family history of hearing loss. 15.5% of the cases pre- sented sudden hearing loss, 2% were syndromic, 14.5% reported vestibular symptoms, and 31% experienced tinnitus, among other evaluated variables. Conclusion: We successfully designed and implemented a database for the classification, tracking, and study of patients with hearing loss, that will continue to grow and enable future studies.