Patient—degree of hearing impairment, code N

Identifying and definitional attributes

Metadata item type:Help on this termData Element
Short name:Help on this termDegree of hearing impairment
Synonymous names:Help on this termSeverity of hearing impairment
METEOR identifier:Help on this term500419
Registration status:Help on this term
  • Indigenous, Standard 11/08/2014
Definition:Help on this termThe degree of a patient's hearing impairment measured in decibel hearing level (dBHL), as represented by a code.
Data Element Concept:Patient—degree of hearing impairment

Value domain attributes

Representational attributes

Representation class:Help on this termCode
Data type:Help on this termNumber
Format:Help on this termN
Maximum character length:Help on this term1
Permissible values:Help on this term
ValueMeaning
1Mild
2Moderate
3Severe
4Profound
Supplementary values:Help on this term
ValueMeaning
8Unknown
9Not stated/inadequately described

Collection and usage attributes

Guide for use:Help on this term

The degree of hearing impairment is based on the better ear and is measured in decibel hearing level (dBHL) as follows:

CODE 1   Mild
16-30dBHL in sound proof conditions and 26-35dBHL in non-soundproof conditions

CODE 2   Moderate
31-60dBHL in sound proof conditions and 36-60dBHL in non-soundproof conditions

CODE 3   Severe
61-90dBHL in sound proof conditions and 61-90dBHL in non-soundproof conditions

CODE 4   Profound
91dBHL in sound proof conditions and 91dBHL in non-soundproof conditions.

Source and reference attributes

Submitting organisation:Help on this termAustralian Institute of Health and Welfare
Reference documents:Help on this termAIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) 2011. Ear and hearing health of Indigenous children in the Northern Territory 2011. Cat. no. IHW 60. Canberra: AIHW. Pg 34. http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737420423

Data element attributes

Collection and usage attributes

Guide for use:Help on this term

Hearing impairment is a classification of functional impairment of the 3 frequency average (dBHL): 500Hz, 1000Hz and 2000Hz of thresholds in the better hearing ear.

Based on standards hearing impairment classification for children as recommended by Australian Hearing as data relates only to children. 

Source and reference attributes

Submitting organisation:Help on this termAustralian Institute of Health and Welfare
Steward:Help on this termAustralian Institute of Health and Welfare

Relational attributes

Implementation in Data Set Specifications:Help on this term

Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Children's Health Checks: Audiology services DSS, May 2011-March 2012Indigenous, Superseded 18/02/2015

Implementation start date: 01/05/2011

Implementation end date: 31/03/2012

Conditional obligation:

Valid where a 'yes' response to the degree of hearing impairment indicator data element is selected.

DSS specific information:

The pure tone thresholds used to identify hearing impairment in the Audiology Services DSS are based on recommendations from Australian Hearing. They differ from the World Health Organization (WHO) standards as data relates only to children.

Coding note: If a hearing impairment measurement is provided for both left and right ear, and it is indicated which measurement relates to which ear, the hearing impairment of least severity is recorded as the response to this question (ie. the response is based on the better ear).


Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory: Audiology services DSS, April 2012-April 2013Indigenous, Superseded 18/02/2015

Implementation start date: 01/04/2012

Implementation end date: 30/04/2013

Conditional obligation:

Valid where a 'yes' response to the degree of hearing impairment indicator data element is selected.

DSS specific information:

The pure tone thresholds used to identify hearing impairment in the Audiology Services DSS are based on recommendations from Australian Hearing. They differ from the World Health Organization (WHO) standards as data relates only to children.

Coding note: If a hearing impairment measurement is provided for both left and right ear, and it is indicated which measurement relates to which ear, the hearing impairment of least severity is recorded as the response to this question (ie. the response is based on the better ear).


Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory: Audiology services DSS, May 2013-August 2014Indigenous, Standard 18/02/2015

Implementation start date: 01/05/2013

Conditional obligation:

Valid where a 'yes' response to the degree of hearing impairment indicator data element is selected.

DSS specific information:

The pure tone thresholds used to identify hearing impairment in the Audiology Services DSS are based on recommendations from Australian Hearing. They differ from the World Health Organization (WHO) standards as data relates only to children.

Coding note: If a hearing impairment measurement is provided for both left and right ear, and it is indicated which measurement relates to which ear, the hearing impairment of least severity is recorded as the response to this question (ie. the response is based on the better ear).