TY - JOUR
T1 - The influence of tinnitus and hearing loss on the functional status of military Service members and Veterans
AU - Lewis, M. Samantha
AU - Reavis, Kelly M.
AU - Griest, Susan
AU - Carlson, Kathleen F.
AU - Gordon, Jane
AU - Henry, James A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
©, This work was authored as part of the Contributor's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Objective: This study evaluated the influence of tinnitus and hearing loss on the functional status of military Service members and Veterans. Design: Participants completed audiologic testing and self-report instruments to assess tinnitus, hearing, and general functioning. We conducted multiple linear regression analyses using cross-sectional data with functional status as the dependent variable. The primary independent variables were tinnitus and average low-, high-, and extended high-frequency hearing thresholds. Secondary independent variables were subjective tinnitus severity and hearing difficulties. Each of the independent variables was modelled separately for Service members and Veterans; covariates for each multivariable model were identified a priori and, depending on the association being modelled, included age, gender, blast-wave exposure, and history of military traumatic brain injury. Study Sample: Data were analysed from 283 Service members and 390 Veterans. Results: After controlling for potential confounders, presence of tinnitus, tinnitus severity, average low-frequency hearing thresholds, and subjective hearing difficulties were significantly associated with functional status in Service members and Veterans. Conclusions: These results suggest that tinnitus and poorer low-frequency hearing, and the perceived severity of tinnitus and hearing difficulties, may be associated with poorer functional status among Service members and Veterans.
AB - Objective: This study evaluated the influence of tinnitus and hearing loss on the functional status of military Service members and Veterans. Design: Participants completed audiologic testing and self-report instruments to assess tinnitus, hearing, and general functioning. We conducted multiple linear regression analyses using cross-sectional data with functional status as the dependent variable. The primary independent variables were tinnitus and average low-, high-, and extended high-frequency hearing thresholds. Secondary independent variables were subjective tinnitus severity and hearing difficulties. Each of the independent variables was modelled separately for Service members and Veterans; covariates for each multivariable model were identified a priori and, depending on the association being modelled, included age, gender, blast-wave exposure, and history of military traumatic brain injury. Study Sample: Data were analysed from 283 Service members and 390 Veterans. Results: After controlling for potential confounders, presence of tinnitus, tinnitus severity, average low-frequency hearing thresholds, and subjective hearing difficulties were significantly associated with functional status in Service members and Veterans. Conclusions: These results suggest that tinnitus and poorer low-frequency hearing, and the perceived severity of tinnitus and hearing difficulties, may be associated with poorer functional status among Service members and Veterans.
KW - Noise
KW - epidemiology
KW - psycho-social/emotional
KW - tinnitus
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U2 - 10.1080/14992027.2021.2017494
DO - 10.1080/14992027.2021.2017494
M3 - Article
C2 - 35819808
AN - SCOPUS:85134057377
SN - 1499-2027
VL - 62
SP - 44
EP - 52
JO - International journal of audiology
JF - International journal of audiology
IS - 1
ER -