Epidemiologic research led by the Cochlear Center has highlighted the substantial impact of hearing loss in our aging society.

Center researchers and trainees are investigating the prevalence of hearing loss and the impact that hearing loss has on functional domains, such as loneliness and physical functioning, using epidemiologic datasets.

The Cochlear Center implements and manages high-quality audiometric data collection in several large epidemiologic studies. The Center has overseen data collection in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging (n~375) and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (n=3626). In addition, Nicholas Reed has led the protocol development and technician training in the National Health and Aging Trends Study (n=~15000), the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study (n=~1070), the BIOCARD study (n=~222), and the Longitudinal Aging Study in India Diagnostic Assessment of Dementia (~4500).  

  • Efforts by Nicholas Reed led to a pilot to explore similar integration of hearing measures in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health cohorts. Through this work, high quality clinical auditory information will be linked to health data, including claims data, employment, neurological, cardiovascular, psychosocial, physical and lifestyle measures. 
  • Ongoing work led by Jennifer Deal is investigating the modifiable vascular contributors to hearing loss in older adults. 
  • A new line of work by Cochlear Center health economist Emmanuel Garcia is exploring the impact of hearing loss on key economic outcomes. 
  • Jennifer Deal, Nicholas Reed, and Frank Lin continued to mentor several trainees in epidemiological analyses of hearing with cognitive, physical, and social functioning outcomes using data from ARIC.