Table of Contents

Component Description

The Audiometry questionnaire section (variable name prefix AUQ_E) provides interview data on self-reported hearing status, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), hearing screening history, the use of hearing aids, the use of assistive devices for hearing, and risk factors for hearing loss.

Topics included in this section are:

Eligible Sample

All survey participants aged 1 year and older were eligible for the initial question (AUQ131) relating to self-reported hearing capability/deficits.

Survey respondents 12-19 years were eligible for the full series of 2007-08 AUQ_E questions.

Survey respondents 70 years of age and older were eligible for the question set AUQ131, AUQ141, AUQ150, AUQ171 and AUQ185.

Interview Setting and Mode of Administration

These questions were asked before the physical examination, in the home, using the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing-CAPI (interviewer administered) system.

Quality Assurance & Quality Control

The CAPI system is programmed with built-in consistency checks to reduce data entry errors. CAPI also uses online help screens to assist interviewers in defining key terms used in the questionnaire.

Data Processing and Editing

The 2007–08 Audiometry Questionnaire data was verified against the main data file prior to public release.

Analytic Notes

Audiologic data analysis is a complex endeavor requiring knowledge of the specialty content area for valid results to be obtained. If an analyst does not have professional experience in this area, it is recommended that audiologic consultation be obtained to help formulate and review the results of the analysis.

Full sample NHANES 2007-08 Household Interview weights should be employed if statistical analysis involves only the AUQ_E questionnaire data. Although these data were collected as a part of the household questionnaire, if they are merged with NHANES MEC examination data, the MEC exam sample weights should be used for the analysis.

Previous National Health Interview Survey and NHANES III Audiometry questionnaires served as questionnaire sources.

Audiometry Examination data is found in the Audiometry Section of the NHANES 2007–08 Examination Files (AUX_E).

Please refer to the NHANES Analytic Guidelines and the on-line NHANES Tutorial for further details on the use of sample weights and other analytic issues. Both of these are available on the NHANES website.

Codebook and Frequencies

SEQN - Respondent sequence number

Variable Name:
SEQN
SAS Label:
Respondent sequence number
English Text:
Respondent sequence number.
Target:
Both males and females 1 YEARS - 150 YEARS

AUQ131 - General condition of hearing

Variable Name:
AUQ131
SAS Label:
General condition of hearing
English Text:
These next questions are about {your/SP's} hearing. Which statement best describes {your/SP's} hearing (without a hearing aid)? Would you say {your/his/her} hearing is excellent, good, that {you have/s/he has} a little trouble, moderate trouble, a lot of trouble, or {are you/is s/he} deaf?
Target:
Both males and females 1 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Excellent 4610 4610
2 Good 3418 8028
3 A little trouble 1022 9050
4 Moderate hearing trouble 381 9431
5 A lot of trouble 211 9642
6 Deaf 19 9661
7 Refused 1 9662
9 Don't know 4 9666
. Missing 0 9666

AUQ135 - CHECK ITEM

Variable Name:
AUQ135
English Instructions:
IF AGE 12-19, CONTINUE; ELSE IF AGE 70+, GO TO AUQ141; OTHERWISE, GO TO END OF SECTION.
Target:
Both males and females 1 YEARS - 150 YEARS

AUQ136 - Ever had 3 or more ear infections?

Variable Name:
AUQ136
SAS Label:
Ever had 3 or more ear infections?
English Text:
{Have you/Has SP} ever had 3 or more ear infections?
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 371 371
2 No 859 1230
7 Refused 0 1230
9 Don't know 8 1238
. Missing 8428 9666

AUQ138 - Ever had tube placed in ear?

Variable Name:
AUQ138
SAS Label:
Ever had tube placed in ear?
English Text:
{Have you/Has SP} ever had a tube placed in {your/his/her} ear to drain the fluid from {your/his/her} ear?
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 109 109
2 No 1124 1233
7 Refused 0 1233
9 Don't know 5 1238
. Missing 8428 9666

AUQ141 - Last time had hearing tested

Variable Name:
AUQ141
SAS Label:
Last time had hearing tested
English Text:
When was the last time {you had/SP had} {your/his/her} hearing tested?
English Instructions:
READ CATEGORIES IF NECESSARY
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Less than a year ago 594 594
2 1 year to 4 years ago 782 1376
3 5 to 9 years ago 272 1648
4 Ten or more years ago 281 1929
5 Never 379 2308
7 Refused 0 2308
9 Don't know 85 2393
. Missing 7273 9666

AUQ150 - Ever worn a hearing aid

Variable Name:
AUQ150
SAS Label:
Ever worn a hearing aid
English Text:
{Have you/Has SP} ever worn a hearing aid?
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 217 217
2 No 2175 2392 AUQ185
7 Refused 0 2392 AUQ185
9 Don't know 1 2393 AUQ185
. Missing 7273 9666

AUQ171 - Worn hearing aid 5 hours a week?

Variable Name:
AUQ171
SAS Label:
Worn hearing aid 5 hours a week?
English Text:
In the past 12 months, {have you/has SP} worn a hearing aid at least 5 hours a week?
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 149 149
2 No 68 217
7 Refused 0 217
9 Don't know 0 217
. Missing 9449 9666

AUQ185 - Ever used assistive listening devices?

Variable Name:
AUQ185
SAS Label:
Ever used assistive listening devices?
English Text:
{Have you/Has SP} ever used assistive listening devices (ALDs), such as FM systems, closed-captioned television, or amplified telephone (or relay services)?
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 73 73
2 No 2319 2392
7 Refused 0 2392
9 Don't know 1 2393
. Missing 7273 9666

AUQ187 - CHECK ITEM

Variable Name:
AUQ187
English Instructions:
IF SP AGE >= 70, GO TO END OF SECTION. OTHERWISE, CONTINUE.
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS

AUQ191 - Ears ringing, roaring, buzzing past year

Variable Name:
AUQ191
SAS Label:
Ears ringing, roaring, buzzing past year
English Text:
In the past 12 months, {have you/has SP} been bothered by ringing, roaring, or buzzing in {your/his/her} ears or head that lasts for 5 minutes or more?
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 88 88
2 No 1149 1237 AUQ211
7 Refused 0 1237 AUQ211
9 Don't know 1 1238 AUQ211
. Missing 8428 9666

AUQ250 - How long bothered by ringing, roaring

Variable Name:
AUQ250
SAS Label:
How long bothered by ringing, roaring
English Text:
How long {have you/has SP} been bothered by this ringing, roaring, or buzzing in {your/his/her} ears or head?
English Instructions:
READ CATEGORIES IF NECESSARY
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Less than three months 37 37
2 Three months to a year 16 53
3 1 to 4 years 19 72
4 5 to 9 years 7 79
5 Ten or more years 9 88
7 Refused 0 88
9 Don't know 0 88
. Missing 9578 9666

AUQ260 - Bothered by ringing after loud sounds?

Variable Name:
AUQ260
SAS Label:
Bothered by ringing after loud sounds?
English Text:
{Are you/Is SP} bothered by ringing, roaring, or buzzing in {your/his/her} ears or head only after listening to loud sounds or loud music?
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 23 23
2 No 63 86
7 Refused 0 86
9 Don't know 2 88
. Missing 9578 9666

AUQ270 - Bothered by ringing when going to sleep

Variable Name:
AUQ270
SAS Label:
Bothered by ringing when going to sleep
English Text:
{Are you/Is SP} bothered by ringing, roaring, or buzzing in {your/his/her} ears or head when going to sleep?
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 16 16
2 No 72 88
7 Refused 0 88
9 Don't know 0 88
. Missing 9578 9666

AUQ280 - How much of a problem is ringing?

Variable Name:
AUQ280
SAS Label:
How much of a problem is ringing?
English Text:
How much of a problem is this ringing, roaring, or buzzing in {your/his/her} ears or head?
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 No problem 36 36
2 A small problem 36 72
3 A moderate problem 14 86
4 A big problem 2 88
5 A very big problem 0 88
7 Refused 0 88
9 Don't know 0 88
. Missing 9578 9666

AUQ211 - Ever used firearms?

Variable Name:
AUQ211
SAS Label:
Ever used firearms?
English Text:
{Have you/Has SP} ever used firearms for target shooting, hunting, or for any other purposes?
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 192 192
2 No 1046 1238
7 Refused 0 1238
9 Don't know 0 1238
. Missing 8428 9666

AUQ290 - Ever had job exposure to loud noise?

Variable Name:
AUQ290
SAS Label:
Ever had job exposure to loud noise?
English Text:
{Have you/Has SP} ever had a job where {you were/s/he was} exposed to loud noise for 5 or more hours a week? By loud noise I mean noise so loud that {you/s/he} had to speak in a raised voice to be heard.
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 99 99
2 No 1139 1238
7 Refused 0 1238
9 Don't know 0 1238
. Missing 8428 9666

AUQ231 - Loud noise exposure for 5 hours?

Variable Name:
AUQ231
SAS Label:
Loud noise exposure for 5 hours?
English Text:
Outside of a job, {have you/has SP} ever been exposed to steady loud noise or music for 5 or more hours a week? This is noise so loud that {you have/s/he has} to raise {your/his/her} voice to be heard. Examples are noise from power tools, lawn mowers, farm machinery, cars, trucks, motorcycles, or loud music.
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 314 314
2 No 923 1237
7 Refused 0 1237
9 Don't know 1 1238
. Missing 8428 9666

AUQ241 - How often wear hearing protection?

Variable Name:
AUQ241
SAS Label:
How often wear hearing protection?
English Text:
How often {do you/does SP} wear hearing protection devices (ear plugs, ear muffs) when exposed to loud sounds or noise? (Include both job and off work exposures.)
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 19 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Most of the time 52 52
2 Sometimes 124 176
3 Rarely/seldom 63 239
4 Never 998 1237
7 Refused 0 1237
9 Don't know 1 1238
. Missing 8428 9666