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Longitudinal changes in hearing sensitivity among men: the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study.
Katharina V Echt1, Sherri L Smith, Andrea Backscheider Burridge
1Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 1670 Clairmont Road (151/R), Decatur, Georgia 30033, USA. kecht@emory.edu
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|October 26, 2010
Summary
Hearing loss is common and progresses with age, even in healthy men. This study tracked hearing changes over decades, revealing typical decline patterns and rates.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Gerontology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Hearing loss is a common age-related condition.
- The Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study (NAS) provided longitudinal data on healthy aging in men.
- Understanding age-related hearing trajectories is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe age-related hearing trajectories in initially healthy men.
- To estimate the rate of hearing sensitivity change per decade.
- To compare longitudinal and cross-sectional estimates of hearing change.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of audiometric data from 953 men in the NAS (1962-1996).
- Longitudinal follow-up averaging 14 years, with up to eight assessments per participant.
- Mixed-effects modeling to analyze hearing trajectories and rates of change.
Main Results:
- Hearing loss is pervasive and progressive, even in men selected for good health.
- Early hearing sensitivity loss (>25 dB HL) at higher frequencies begins in the early 40s.
- Lower frequencies maintained better hearing thresholds into old age; average annual change was 0.69 dB.
Conclusions:
- Age-related hearing decline is a significant issue, impacting even healthy aging populations.
- Longitudinal data reveal consistent patterns of hearing loss progression.
- Cross-sectional estimates can approximate longitudinal findings but show slight misestimations in later decades.
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