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Older adults have a high risk of developing hearing loss. Among those with hearing loss, most experience further declines in hearing sensitivity over time. These data indicate that hearing impairment is an important public health problem and underscore the need for appropriate hearing screening and treatment.

OBJECTIVE-To assess the prevalence of tinnitus along with factors potentially associated with having tinnitus. DESIGN-Datawere from the Beaver Dam Offspring Study, an epidemiological cohort study of aging.STUDY SAMPLE-After a personal interview and audiometric examination, participants (n=3267, ages 21-84 years) were classified as having tinnitus if in the past year they reported having tinnitus of at least moderate severity or that caused difficulty in falling asleep.RESULTS-The prevalence of tinnitus was 10.6%. In a multivariable logistic regression model adjusting for age and sex, the following factors were associated with having tinnitus: hearing impairment (Odds Ratio (OR) = 3.20), currently having a loud job (OR = 1.90), history of head injury (OR = 1.84), depressive symptoms (OR = 1.82), history of ear infection (men, OR = 1.75), history of target shooting (OR = 1.56), arthritis (OR = 1.46), and use of NSAID medications (OR = 1.33). For women, ever drinking alcohol in the past year was associated with a decreased risk of having tinnitus (OR = 0.56).CONCLUSIONS-These results suggest that tinnitus is a common symptom in this cohort and may be associated with some modifiable risk factors. KeywordsTinnitus; Demographics/Epidemiology; Hearing Conservation; Aging Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the ears or head unrelated to an external source. It can be a symptom of a variety of auditory disorders, and can be very troublesome in its more severe forms. Its exact causal mechanisms, however, are not well understood.Corresponding author: David M. Nondahl, MS, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin, 610 Walnut Street, Room 1040, Madison, WI 53726-2397 Fax: (608) 265-2148; Nondahl@episense.wisc.edu . Declaration of InterestThe authors report no declarations of interest. The project described was supported by R01AG021917 from the National Institute on Aging, National Eye Institute, and National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the official views of the National Institute on Aging or the National Institutes of Health. (Nondahl et al, 2002). The EHLS also estimated the 5-year incidence (5.7%; Nondahl et al, 2002) and 10-year incidence of tinnitus (12.7%;Nondahl et al, 2010). Longitudinal studies such as these help to increase understanding of the etiology of the symptom over time. NIH Public AccessData from cross-sectional cohort studies on factors associated with having tinnitus are limited. The baseline EHLS reported that female gender, hearing impairment, cardiovascular disease and history of head injury were positively associated with having tinnitus, while age was inversely associated (Nondahl et al, 2002). Sindhusake and colleagues (2003b), using cross-sectional data from the Blue Mountains Hearing Study, reported that poorer hearing, poorer cochlear function, occupational noise exposure, history of middle ear or sinus infections, severe neck injury ...

Objectives To determine associations between smoking, adiposity, diabetes, and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and the 15-yr incidence of hearing impairment (HI). Design The Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (EHLS) is a longitudinal population-based cohort study (1993–95 to 2009–2010). Setting Beaver Dam, WI. Participants Participants in the Beaver Dam Eye Study (1988–90; residents of Beaver Dam, WI ages 43–84 years in 1987–88) were eligible for the EHLS. There were 1925 participants with normal hearing at baseline. Measurements 15-year cumulative incidence of HI (pure-tone average (PTA) of hearing thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz > 25 decibels Hearing Level (dB HL) in either ear). Cigarette smoking, exercise, and other factors were ascertained by questionnaire. Blood pressure, waist circumference, body mass index and glycosylated hemoglobin were measured. Results Follow-up examinations (≥1) were obtained from 87.2% (n=1678; mean baseline age 61 years). The 15-year cumulative incidence of HI was 56.8%. Adjusting for age and sex, current smoking (Hazard Ratio (HR) =1.31, p=0.048), education (<16 yrs; HR=1.35, p=0.01), waist circumference (HR=1.08 per 10 cm, p=0.017), and poorly controlled diabetes (HR=2.03, p=0.048) were associated with increased risk of HI. Former smokers and people with better controlled diabetes were not at increased risk. Conclusion Smoking, central adiposity and poorly controlled diabetes predicted incident HI. These well-known CVD risk factors, suggest vascular changes may contribute to HI in aging. Interventions targeting reductions in smoking and adiposity, and improved glycemic control in people with diabetes, may help to prevent or delay the onset of HI.

Background/Objectives To evaluate the associations of sensory impairments with the 10-year risk of cognitive impairment. Previous work has primarily focused on the relationship between a single sensory system and cognition. Design The Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (EHLS) is a longitudinal, population-based study of aging in the Beaver Dam, WI community. Baseline examinations were conducted in 1993 and follow-up exams have been conducted every 5 years. Setting General community Participants EHLS members without cognitive impairment at EHLS-2 (1998–2000). There were 1,884 participants (mean age = 66.7 years) with complete EHLS-2 sensory data and follow-up information. Measurements Cognitive impairment was a Mini-Mental State Examination score of < 24 or history of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Hearing impairment was a pure-tone average of hearing thresholds (0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz) of > 25 decibel Hearing Level in either ear. Visual impairment was Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity of < 1.55 log units in the better eye and olfactory impairment was a San Diego Odor Identification Test score of < 6. Results Hearing, visual, and olfactory impairment were independently associated with cognitive impairment risk [Hearing: Hazard Ratio (HR) = 1.90, 95% Confidence Interval (C.I.) = 1.11, 3.26; Vision: HR = 2.05, 95% C.I. = 1.24, 3.38; Olfaction: HR = 3.92, 95% C.I. = 2.45, 6.26]. However, 85% with hearing impairment, 81% with visual impairment, and 76% with olfactory impairment did not develop cognitive impairment during follow-up. Conclusion The relationship between sensory impairment and cognitive impairment was not unique to one sensory system suggesting sensorineural health may be a marker of brain aging. The development of a combined sensorineurocognitive measure may be useful in uncovering mechanisms of healthy brain aging.

The purpose of this study was to determine the 10-yr cumulative incidence of hearing impairment and associations of education, occupation and noise exposure history with the incidence of hearing impairment in a population-based cohort study of 3753 adults ages 48-92 years at the baseline examinations during 1993-1995 in Beaver Dam, WI. Hearing thresholds were measured at baseline, 2.5 yr, 5 yr, and 10-yr follow-up examinations. Hearing impairment was defined as a pure-tone average (PTA) > 25 dB HL at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz. Demographic characteristics and occupational histories were obtained by questionnaire. The 10-yr cumulative incidence of hearing impairment was 37.2%. Age (5 yr; Hazard Ratio (HR)=1.81), sex (M v W; HR=2.29), occupation based on longest held job (Production/Operations/Farming vs others; HR=1.34), marital status (unmarried vs married; HR=1.29) and education (<16 vs 16+ yrs; HR=1.40) were associated with the 10 yr incidence. History of noisy jobs was not associated with the 10-yr incidence of hearing impairment. The risk of hearing impairment was high, with women experiencing a slightly later onset. Markers of socioeconomic status were associated with hearing impairment, suggesting that hearing impairment in older adults may be associated with modifiable lifestyle and environmental factors, and therefore, at least partially preventable.

Olfactory impairment, but not hearing or visual impairment, was associated with an increased risk of mortality. These results suggest that olfactory impairment may be a marker of underlying physiologic processes or pathology that is associated with aging and reduced survival in older adults.

Context.-Clinical studies have suggested that cigarette smoking may be associated with hearing loss, a common condition affecting older adults.Objective.-To evaluate the association between smoking and hearing loss.Design.-Population-based, cross-sectional study.Setting.-Community of Beaver Dam, Wis.Participants.-Adults aged 48 to 92 years. Of 4541 eligible subjects, 3753 (83%) participated in the hearing study.Main Outcome Measures.-The examination included otoscopy, screening tympanometry, and pure-tone air-conduction and bone-conduction audiometry. Smoking history was ascertained by self-report. Hearing loss was defined as a pure-tone average (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz) greater than 25-dB hearing level in the worse ear.Results.-After adjusting for other factors, current smokers were 1.69 times as likely to have a hearing loss as nonsmokers (95% confidence interval, 1.31-2.17). This relationship remained for those without a history of occupational noise exposure and in analyses excluding those with non-age-related hearing loss. There was weak evidence of a dose-response effect. Nonsmoking participants who lived with a smoker were more likely to have a hearing loss than those who were not exposed to a household member who smoked (odds ratio, 1.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-3.74).Conclusions.-These data suggest that environmental exposures may play a role in age-related hearing loss. If longitudinal studies confirm these findings, modification of smoking habits may prevent or delay age-related declines in hearing sensitivity.