Blast Exposure and Self-Reported Hearing Difficulty in Service Members and Veterans Who Have Normal Pure-Tone Hearing Sensitivity: The Mediating Role of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Autor/inn/en	Reavis, Kelly M.; Snowden, Jonathan M.; Henry, James A.; Gallun, Frederick J.; Lewis, M. Samantha; Carlson, Kathleen F.
Titel	Blast Exposure and Self-Reported Hearing Difficulty in Service Members and Veterans Who Have Normal Pure-Tone Hearing Sensitivity: The Mediating Role of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Quelle	In: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 64 (2021) 11, S.4458-4467 (10 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Reavis, Kelly M.) ORCID (Gallun, Frederick J.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1092-4388
Schlagwörter	Hearing Impairments; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Correlation; Veterans; Military Personnel; Acoustics; Risk; Human Body; Individual Characteristics + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Hearing impairment; Hörbehinderung; Korrelation; Kriegsteilnehmer; Veteran; Akustik; Risiko; Menschlicher Körper; Personality characteristic; Personality traits; Persönlichkeitsmerkmal
Abstract	Purpose: Evidence suggests that military blast exposure may lead to self-reported hearing difficulties despite audiometrically normal hearing. Research identifying potential mechanisms of this association remains limited. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the associations between blast, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and self-reported hearing difficulty, and to examine PTSD as a possible mediator of the association between blast exposure and hearing difficulty. Method: We used baseline data from the Noise Outcomes in Service members Epidemiology (NOISE) study (n = 477). Participants in this study undergo a comprehensive hearing, and tinnitus if applicable, evaluation and complete a large number of surveys. Pertinent data extracted from these surveys included information on participant's demographics, military service history, including exposure to blast, and health conditions such as symptoms of PTSD. Using regression models and following a formal causal mediation framework, we estimated total associations, natural direct and indirect associations, and percent mediated. Results: We found that individuals with blast exposure had higher prevalence of both probable PTSD and self-reported hearing difficulty than individuals who were not blast exposed. Compared with participants without blast exposure, those with blast exposure had twice the prevalence of self-reported hearing difficulty, with 41% of the association mediated through probable PTSD. Conclusion: As PTSD is a possible mediator of the association between blast exposure and hearing difficulty, Service members and Veterans with normal pure-tone hearing sensitivity who report hearing difficulties and a history of blast exposure may benefit from evaluation for PTSD symptoms. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01