The Growing Burden of Hearing-Related Disability.

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced Ear Diseases Hearing Disorders Hearing Loss Hearing Loss, Sensorineural Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Occupational Diseases Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Sensation Disorders Signs and Symptoms Tinnitus

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Israel National Insurance Institute

Jerusalem, 91099, Israel

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Individuals with hearing-related claims recorded by the National Insurance Institute of Israel between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2025.

Claims associated with hearing loss, tinnitus, sensorineural hearing loss, noise-induced hearing loss, acoustic trauma, or other hearing-related diagnostic categories.

Claims submitted within the general disability or work-injury benefit streams. Records with sufficient information to identify the claim year and hearing-related diagnosis or disability determination.

Exclusion criteria

Claims without a hearing-related diagnosis or hearing-related statutory disability determination.

Records outside the predefined study period. Duplicate administrative records representing the same claim event, when identifiable.

Records with insufficient information for classification into the relevant study outcomes.

Pediatric disability claims, if the primary analysis is restricted to adult general-disability and work-injury claims.

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

Proportion of Hearing-Related Claims Among All Disability Claims

Time frame: 2018-2025

The proportion of hearing-related claims will be calculated as the number of claims associated with hearing loss, tinnitus, or other hearing-related diagnoses divided by the total number of claims within each benefit stream. Annual trends will be evaluated separately for general disability and work-injury claims.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Assuta Medical Center

Other

Registry information

Official study title

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

Acronym: Hearing

Important dates

Study start: 2018
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Sep 1, 2026
Registry last updated: Sep 1, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Active, not recruiting