Cadmium, obesity, and education, and the 10-year incidence of hearing impairment: The beaver dam offspring study.

Objectives/hypothesis: To determine the 10-year incidence of hearing impairment (HI) and associated risk factors in the Beaver Dam Offspring Study (BOSS; 2004-present), a large middle-aged cohort followed for 10 years.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Methods: Hearing thresholds were measured at baseline (2005-2008) and 5- (2010-2013) and 10-year (2015-2017) follow-up examinations.

Neuroprotective factors and incident hearing impairment in the epidemiology of hearing loss study.

Objective: Hearing impairment (HI) is common in aging adults. Aldosterone, insulin-like growth factor (IGF1), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been identified as potentially protective of hearing. The present study aims to investigate these relationships.

Sensorineural Impairments, Cardiovascular Risk Factors, and 10-Year Incidence of Cognitive Impairment and Decline in Midlife: The Beaver Dam Offspring Study.

Background: Sensorineural impairments and cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) and disease (CVD) in midlife may be important predictors of future cognitive health, but longitudinal studies that include multiple sensorineural measures in middle-aged adults are lacking.

Methods: Hearing, vision, and olfaction, and CVRF and CVD were measured at the Beaver Dam Offspring Study baseline (2005-2008) examination. The Mini-Mental State Examination and Trail Making Tests A and B were administered at all phases and additional cognitive function measures were obtained at 5 (2010-2013) and 10 years (2015-2017).

An Epidemiologic Study of the Association between Free Recall Dichotic Digits Test Performance and Vascular Health.

Background: Associations between vascular health-related factors and hearing loss defined using audiometric pure-tone thresholds have been found. Studies have not focused on a potential relationship between vascular health-related factors and central auditory processing.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate, on a population level, the relationship of vascular health-related factors with central auditory function.

Association of Cadmium and Lead Exposure With the Incidence of Contrast Sensitivity Impairment Among Middle-aged Adults.

Importance: Contrast sensitivity (CS) is an important indicator of visual function that affects daily life, including mobility, visually intensive tasks, safety, and autonomy. Understanding the risk factors for CS impairment could prevent decreases in visual function.

Objective: To determine the incidence of and factors associated with CS impairment in a large cohort.

Association Between Cystatin C and 20-Year Cumulative Incidence of Hearing Impairment in the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study.

Importance: Hearing impairment (HI) is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults. Identification of factors associated with the development of HI may lead to ways to reduce the incidence of this condition.

Objective: To investigate the association between cystatin C, both as an independent biomarker and as a marker of kidney function, and the 20-year incidence of HI.

Generational Differences in the 5-Year Incidence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Importance: Whether a reported decline in the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) continued for people born during the Baby Boom years (1946-1964) or later is unknown. These data are important to plan for ocular health care needs in the 21st century.

Objectives: To determine whether the 5-year risk for AMD declined by generation and to identify factors that contributed to improvement in risk.

A longitudinal population study of the impact of cataract extraction on sleep quality.

Purpose: To investigate the longitudinal effects of cataract extraction on sleep quality in two discrete population cohorts.

Methods: 301 participants who had senile cataract in both eyes at the baseline examination were selected from two large longitudinal epidemiologic studies of age-related eye disease, hearing, olfaction, and cognition. The participants were divided into two groups: one had cataract surgery (CS) in both eyes, and the other had no cataract surgery (NCS) in either eye by the follow up examination.

Dichotic Digits Test Performance Across the Ages: Results From Two Large Epidemiologic Cohort Studies.

Objectives: The Dichotic Digits test (DDT) has been widely used to assess central auditory processing but there is limited information on observed DDT performance in a general population. The purpose of the study was to determine factors related to DDT performance in a large cohort spanning the adult age range.

Design: The study was cross-sectional and subjects were participants in the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (EHLS), a population-based investigation of age-related hearing loss, or the Beaver Dam Offspring Study (BOSS), a study of aging in the adult offspring of the EHLS members.

Smoking, central adiposity, and poor glycemic control increase risk of hearing impairment.

Objectives: To determine associations between smoking, adiposity, diabetes mellitus, and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the 15-year incidence of hearing impairment (HI).

Design: A longitudinal population-based cohort study (1993-95 to 2009-10), the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (EHLS).

Setting: Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

Subclinical atherosclerosis and increased risk of hearing impairment.

Objective: The study's purpose was to test if subclinical atherosclerosis was associated with the risk of developing HI in a large cohort of middle-aged participants.

Methods: Study subjects were members of the Beaver Dam Offspring Study (BOSS), a longitudinal study of adult children of participants in the population-based Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (1993-present). BOSS examinations took place in 2005-2008 (baseline) and 2010-2013 (5-year follow-up).

Hearing impairment and retirement.

Background: Many factors influence the decision to retire including age, insurance, and pension availability along with physical and mental health. Hearing impairment may be one such factor.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the 15 yr retirement rate among subjects with and without hearing impairment.

Dry eye in the beaver dam offspring study: prevalence, risk factors, and health-related quality of life.

Purpose: To estimate dry eye prevalence in the Beaver Dam Offspring Study (BOSS), including a young adult population, and investigate associated risk factors and impact on health-related quality of life.

Design: Cohort study.

Methods: The BOSS (2005-2008) is a study of aging in the adult offspring of the population-based Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study cohort.

Sixteen-year change in acoustic-admittance measures among older adults: data from a population-based study.

Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to measure the 16-year change in peak compensated static acoustic admittance (Peak Y(tm)) in a population-based cohort of older adults, and to determine whether age was associated with any observed change in Peak Y(tm). Other tympanometric measures also were taken and analyzed.

Method: Data from two examinations (1993-1995 and 2009-2010) of the population-based Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (n = 1,439 with data at both examinations, ages 48-84 years at baseline) were utilized to assess 16-year change.

Long-term assessment of systemic inflammation and the cumulative incidence of age-related hearing impairment in the epidemiology of hearing loss study.

Background: Although research has linked systemic inflammation to various diseases of aging, few studies have examined the potential role it may play in the development of age-related hearing impairment.

Methods: Among 1,073 participants free of hearing impairment (pure-tone average 0.5, 1, 2, 4kHz ≤ 25 dB HL) in the population-based Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (1998-2000), serum C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6 were measured at three time points (1988-1990, 1998-2000, and 2009-2010), and tumor necrosis factor-α was measured at one time point (1998-2000), whereas hearing impairment was measured again in 2003-2005 and 2009-2010 to determine the 10-year cumulative incidence.

Aging and the 4-kHz air-bone gap.

Purpose: In this study, the authors assessed age- and sex-related patterns in the prevalence and 10-year incidence of 4-kHz air-bone gaps and associated factors.

Method: Data were obtained as part of the longitudinal, population-based Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (Cruickshanks et al., 1998).

Education, occupation, noise exposure history and the 10-yr cumulative incidence of hearing impairment in older adults.

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 yr 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.

Notched audiograms and noise exposure history in older adults.

Objective: Using data from a population-based cohort study, we compared four published algorithms for identifying notched audiograms and compared their resulting classifications with noise exposure history.

Design: Four algorithms: (1) , (2) , (3) , and (4) were used to identify notched audiograms. Audiometric evaluations were collected as a part of the 10-yr follow-up examinations of the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study, in Beaver Dam, WI (2003-2005, N = 2395).

The impact of tinnitus on quality of life in older adults.

Few population-based data exist to assess the impact of tinnitus on quality of life. As part of the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study, self-reported data on tinnitus and quality of life were obtained by interview at the first follow-up examination (1998-2000; N = 2800; ages 53-97 years). The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used to assess quality of life.

Serum cotinine level and incident hearing loss: a case-control study.

Background: A growing body of literature suggests an association between cigarette smoking and hearing loss.

Objective: To assess the relation between levels of serum cotinine, a biomarker of exposure to tobacco smoke, and incident hearing loss.

Design: A cross-sectional, incident, case-control study of participants selected from a population-based cohort.

The impact of hearing loss on quality of life in older adults.

Purpose: The authors investigate the impact of hearing loss on quality of life in a large population of older adults.

Design And Methods: Data are from the 5-year follow-up Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study, a population-based longitudinal study of age-related hearing impairment conducted in Beaver Dam, WI. Participants (N = 2,688) were 53-97 years old (mean = 69 years) and 42% were male.

The 5-year incidence and progression of hearing loss: the epidemiology of hearing loss study.

Context: Hearing impairment affects many older adults, but the incidence is unknown.

Objective: To determine the 5-year incidence and progression of hearing impairment.

Design: A longitudinal, population-based study of adults aged 48 to 92 years at baseline examination.

Prevalence of sleep problems and quality of life in an older population.

Study Objectives: To determine the prevalence of insomnia traits in a population and the effect of these traits on health-related quality of life.

Design: The Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study is a population-based study in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

Setting: Participants were interviewed as part of the 5-year follow-up examination (1998-2000) of the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study.