HUNT hearing
Project
|Updated
This investigation aims to scrutinize the prevalence, risk factors, and repercussions of hearing loss.
Summary
There remains a scarcity of information regarding the prevalence, risk factors, and implications of hearing loss development. Does an increased life expectancy also result in more years of good hearing? Can we observe improved health outcomes due to better treatments for ear diseases and measures taken to reduce excessive noise exposure in workplaces? The degree of vulnerability to hearing damage varies significantly among individuals, and understanding these vulnerability factors is crucial for providing recommendations and establishing boundaries.
Hearing loss constitutes a potentially modifiable risk factor for severe health issues such as cognitive impairment, dementia, frailty, and mortality. The link between hearing loss and these outcomes may stem from factors like social isolation, communication difficulties, and a lack of cognitive reserve. Despite the growing population of elderly individuals and potentially hearing-impaired workers, our understanding of the significance of hearing loss in the context of working life remains limited.
To delve deeper into this issue, we will leverage data from HUNT, encompassing the hearing surveys conducted in HUNT 2 and 4, alongside the school surveys and population registries. This investigation aims to scrutinize the prevalence, risk factors, and repercussions of hearing loss.
Project leader
Bo Lars Engdahl, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Project participants
Shahram Moradi, Department of Health, Social and Welfare Studies, University of South-Eastern Norway
Lisa Aarhus, National Institute of Occupational Health
Geir Selbæk, University of Oslo
Christian Myrstad, The Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health, Vestfold Hospital Trust
Camilla Lytomt, National Institute of Occupational Health
Astrid Ytrehus Jørgensen, National Institute of Occupational Health
Ina Charlotte Molaug, National Institute of Occupational Health
Marit Skogstad, National Institute of Occupational Health
Hein Stigum, Physical Health and Ageing, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Norun Hjertager Krog, Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Chuan-Ming Li, National Institutes of Health
Howard J. Hoffman, National Institutes of Health
Pernille Thingstad, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Start
01.03.2019
End
28.02.2029
Status
Active
Approvals
Regional committees for medical and health research ethics
Project owner/ Project manager
Norwegian Institute of Public Health