Hearing testing in the U.S. Department of Defense: Potential impact on Veterans Affairs hearing loss disability awards.

Hearing testing in the U.S. Department of Defense: Potential impact on Veterans Affairs hearing loss disability awards.
Hear Res. 2016 Oct 18;:
Authors: Nelson JT, Swan AA, Swiger B, Packer M, Pugh MJ
Abstract
Hearing loss is the second most common disability awarded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to former members of the U.S. uniformed services. Hearing readiness and conservation practices differ among the four largest uniformed military services (Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy). Utilizing a data set consisting of all hearing loss claims submitted to the VA from fiscal years 2003-2013, we examined characteristics of veterans submitting claims within one year of separation from military service. Our results indicate that having a hearing loss disability claim granted was significantly more likely for men, individuals over the age of 26 years at the time of the claim, individuals most recently serving in the U.S. Army, and those with at least one hearing loss diagnosis. Importantly, individuals with at least one test record in the Defense Occupational and Environmental Health Readiness System-Hearing Conservation (DOEHRS-HC) system were significantly less likely to have a hearing loss disability claim granted by the VA. Within the DOEHRS-HC cohort, those with at least one threshold shift or clinical hearing loss diagnosis while on active duty were more than two and three times more likely to have a hearing ...

Source: Hearing Research - October 17, 2016 Category: Audiology Authors: Nelson JT, Swan AA, Swiger B, Packer M, Pugh MJ Tags: Hear Res Source Type: research