Abstract
Objective: To examine associations between non-otologic medical conditions and auditory dysfunction. Design: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Noise Outcomes in Service members Epidemiology (NOISE) study. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between medical conditions (0, 1, and 2 or more conditions) and auditory dysfunction (hearing loss pure tone average ≥20 dB HL and tinnitus), adjusting for key confounders including noise exposure. Secondarily, the association between specific medical conditions and auditory dysfunction was examined. All variables were self-reported. Study sample: United States military Veterans (n = 580) with mean age 34.1 years (standard deviation = 9.2), who were within approximately 2.5 years of separation from service. Results: Compared to Veterans reporting no medical conditions, Veterans reporting two or more had increased odds on low-frequency hearing loss and on tinnitus but not on high or extended-high frequency hearing loss. Furthermore, specific conditions sleep disorder and arthritis were associated with auditory dysfunction. Conclusions: Non-otologic medical conditions were associated with low-frequency hearing loss and tinnitus in this sample of young Veterans. This suggests medical conditions may play a role in Veterans’ hearing health. Whether management of medical conditions earlier in life reduces the risk of hearing loss and tinnitus requires further study.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 608-616 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | International journal of audiology |
Volume | 62 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2023 |
Keywords
- Hearing loss
- comorbidity
- noise
- tinnitus
- veterans
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Language and Linguistics
- Linguistics and Language
- Speech and Hearing