* Corresponding author: Derartu Hailu Ebiyo Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0. Prevalence and associated factors of hearing loss among patients visiting St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Ethiopia Derartu Hailu Ebiyo 1, * , Kassahun Tegegne Bidu 2 and Abdissa Boka 3 1 ENT Department, St. Paul hospital Millennium medical college, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 2 EPR Department, World Health Organization (WHO)-Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 3 Public Health Department, Addis Ababa University, College Health Science, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2024, 17(02), 331–343 Publication history: Received on 24 December 2023; revised on 31 January 2024; accepted on 03 February 2024 Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjbphs.2024.17.2.0053 Abstract Background: Globally, 5% of the population is estimated to have disabling hearing loss (HL) requiring rehabilitation. By 2050, over 700 million people, or 1 in 10 people, will have HL. HL can happen during different lifetimes, but the prevalence of HL increases with age. Over 25% of people older than 60 are affected by disabling HL. WHO estimates that 1.1 billion young people are at risk of HL due to unsafe hearing practices. Objective: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of HL among patients visiting St. Paul’s Hospital and Millennium Medical College. Materials and Method: a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from August 1st to 30th, 2023. Data was collected from 352 participants using an interviewer-administered questionnaire by systematic sampling technique. Data was checked for completeness, cleared, entered into Epi-Info, and exported to Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted, and the statistical association between variables was described using a p-value of < 0.05. Result: Of all study participants, 213 (60.5%) were male; the mean age and standard deviation were 35.36 + 17.03 years; and 199 (56.5%) had a different degree of hearing loss. Mild, moderate, severe, and profound hearing loss were recorded among 17%, 20%, 15%, and 4% of the respondents, respectively. Factors of hearing loss were age group, occupation, hearing difficulty, noisy work exposure, drinking alcohol, and Khat chewing. Conclusion: The overall prevalence of hearing loss was very high, and preventive interventions like improving knowledge on risk factors, ensuring a safe working environment, and avoiding chewing Khat for the at-risk population were recommended. Keywords: Audiometry, Hearing loss; Prevalence; Associated Factors; St. Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College 1. Introduction The World Health Organization (WHO) defines hearing loss as “a person who is not able to hear as well as someone with normal hearing—hearing thresholds of 20 decibels (dB) or better in both ears” is said to have hearing loss. It can affect one ear or both ears [1]. Based on the cause and location of the ear involved, it can be: Conductive hearing loss This is caused by a problem in the outer or middle ear, and sound is having difficulty traveling to the inner ear. Some causes are fluid in the middle ear, wax in the ear canal, or a hole in the eardrum. Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by a problem in the inner ear. Sensorineural hearing loss in young children can occur with certain infections before birth, from a lack of oxygen during birth, or from genetic syndromes. Mixed hearing loss occurs when both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss occur together. Based on its degree or severity, hearing loss can be categorized as mild (26– 40 dB), moderate (41–70 dB), severe (71–90 dB), or profound (above 90 dB) [1, 2]. Globally, 5% of the population is estimated to have disabling hearing loss and require rehabilitation, and it is estimated that by 2050, over 700 million people, or 1 in 10 people, will have hearing loss. The prevalence of hearing loss increases