Postdeployment hearing loss in U.S. Army soldiers seen at audiology clinics from April 1, 2003, through March 31, 2004.
OBJECTIVE
U.S. Army soldiers face unique noise exposures in the current deployed setting. The effects of these deployment-related exposures have not previously been documented.


METHODS
In an attempt to initiate this process, medical evaluations performed at military audiology clinics from April 2003 through March 2004 were reviewed to compare noise-induced hearing loss injury (NIHLI) outcomes among soldiers whose diagnoses were classified as postdeployment-related versus non-postdeployment-related. Sentinel NIHLI outcomes of interest included acoustic trauma, permanent threshold shift, eardrum perforation, tinnitus, and military-specific H-3 and H-4 hearing loss profiles.


RESULTS
Significantly higher rates of NIHLI and associated outcomes were observed among soldiers whose diagnoses were postdeployment-related.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the findings from this evaluation, recommendations are provided for enhancing the force health protection posture for prevention of hearing loss in future deployments.
U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Edgewood, MD, USA. thomas.helfer@us.army.mil
Thomas M
TM
Helfer
Nikki N
NN
Jordan
Robyn B
RB
Lee
D000328:Adult; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology