This NHANES-based study evaluated 5,553 U.S. adults to determine whether hepatitis A or B vaccination correlates with hearing loss across frequencies. Using multivariate regression models with appropriate confounder adjustments, the authors found that receiving ≥2 doses of hepatitis A vaccine was significantly associated with reduced odds of speech-frequency hearing loss.
Conversely, ≥3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine demonstrated a positive association with increased right-ear low-frequency PTA values. Subgroup analyses highlighted that protective effects of hepatitis A vaccination were more prominent in females and Hispanic individuals, while hepatitis B–related auditory changes were notable in non-Hispanic whites, married adults, and smokers. These findings underscore the need for targeted auditory monitoring in specific demographic groups and emphasize gaps in mechanistic understanding…
