Aim:  This study aims is to evaluate nature and distribution of hearing loss in patients attending a tertiary health care centre and to get knowledge about its magnitude and demographic distribution.

Materials and Methods: Retrospective study was conducted to describe the audiological findings in terms of degree and type of hearing loss in patients reported to Jorhat Medical College & Hospital, Jorhat, Assam over a period of three years (2015 to 2017) and effects of age and gender on the audiological profiles of the patients were also analysed.

Results:Audiological data (pure tone audiometry, BERA and tympanometry) of total 4815 patients were examined and reviewed for demographic details and for type anddegree of hearing loss. 2002 cases (41.57%) were females and 2813 (58.42%) males (male:female; 1.4 :1). Age range was 6 months – 87 years, with a mean age of 33 years (SD: 34.91). Paediatric age group (6 months to 14 years) constituted around 17.69%, adult group (15 – 60 years)  68.99 %, while the older adult including geriatric ( 61 years and above) group was  13.31%. Highest 30.01%presented with severe degree hearing loss,23.32% with mild degree, 18.27% moderate degree,12.77% moderately severe and 4.85% with profound degree hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss was highly observed followed by sensorineural in second place.Conductive type and severe degree (30.01%) of hearing loss were found to have higher prevalence compared to other types and degrees of hearing loss.Among the major causes of hearing impairment recorded the ear diseases contributed highest to 81.41% cases.

Conclusion: Severe degree of hearing loss is still prevalent in the communities and there is a strong need for identification and evaluation of hearing loss cases in community level and to implement effective rehabilitation programs. The major contributors or causesof hearing impairment among children,are largely preventable at primary or community care level.