The 25-Year Incidence and Progression of Hearing Loss in the Framingham Offspring Study

What is the 25-year cumulative incidence and progression of hearing loss, and what are the associated risk factors?This longitudinal cohort study included 511 participants of the Framingham Offspring Study and reported the 25-year cumulative incidence and progression of hearing loss, defined by a pure-tone average, as 56.2% and 15.1 dB, respectively. Factors associated with incidence and/or greater progression of hearing loss included older age, female sex, lower education, high noise exposure, and cardiovascular factors, including hypertension and stroke risk, defined by the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile.These findings suggest that hearing loss is a common public health concern that may be at least partially preventable.

Corresponding Author: Lauren K. Dillard, PhD, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Rutledge Ave, MSC 550, Charleston, SC 29425 (dillalau@musc.edu).

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