The Growing Burden of Hearing-Related Disability.

The Growing Burden of Hearing-Related Disability: Divergent Trends in General Disability and Occupational Injury Claims in Israel, 2018-2025.

Hearing loss and tinnitus can affect communication, employment, daily functioning, and long-term disability. This study will examine hearing-related disability claims recorded by the National Insurance Institute of Israel between 2018 and 2025. The study will evaluate changes over time in the number and proportion of hearing-related claims and will compare patterns between general disability and work-injury claims. It will also describe the main hearing-related diagnoses, including hearing impairment, tinnitus, sensorineural hearing loss, noise-induced hearing loss, and acoustic trauma, as well as the levels of disability assigned according to national disability regulations. The study uses existing administrative records and does not involve any intervention or change in patient care. The aim is to improve understanding of the national burden and long-term consequences of hearing-related disorders and to identify trends that may support prevention, occupational health, and disability-policy planning.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Individuals of any age with a hearing-related disability claim recorded in the National -- Insurance Institute database during the study period.
• Male and female claimants.
• First claims and appeals involving a hearing-related disability determination.
• Claims containing hearing-related clinical, audiometric, or tinnitus-related impairment information.
• Claims with sufficient administrative data for inclusion in the relevant study analyses.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Claims not related to hearing impairment, hearing loss, or tinnitus.
• Administrative records without an eligible hearing-related disability determination.
• Duplicate records referring to the same determination.
• Records lacking the information required for the specific analysis being performed.