Audiologic characteristics in a sample of recently-separated military Veterans: The Noise Outcomes in Servicemembers Epidemiology Study (NOISE Study).

Audiologic characteristics in a sample of recently-separated military Veterans: The Noise Outcomes in Servicemembers Epidemiology Study (NOISE Study). Hear Res. 2016 Nov 29;: Authors: Gordon JS, Griest SE, Thielman EJ, Carlson KC, Helt WJ, Lewis MS, Blankenship C, Austin D, Theodoroff SM, Henry JA Abstract Military Service Members are often exposed to high levels of occupational noise, solvents, and other exposures that can be damaging to the auditory system. Little is known about hearing loss and how it progresses in Veterans following military service. This epidemiology study is designed to evaluate and monitor a cohort of Veterans for 20 years or more to determine how hearing loss changes over time and how those changes are related to noise exposure and other ototoxic exposures encountered during military service. Data reported here are from baseline assessments of the first 100 study participants (84 males; 16 females; mean age 33.5 years; SD 8.8; range 21-58). Each participant was asked to complete a comprehensive audiologic examination and self-report questionnaires regarding sociodemographic characteristics, noise and solvent exposures, health conditions common among post-deployment Veterans, and the social and emotional consequences of hearing loss. For this relatively young cohort, 29% exhibited hearing loss, defined as average hearing threshold >20 dB HL in the conventional audiometric range. Forty-two percent exhibited...
Source: Hearing Research - Category: Audiology Authors: Tags: Hear Res Source Type: research