Incidence and Risk Factors of Tinnitus in U.S. Navy Submariners
Abstract
Tinnitus is the most prevalent service-connected disability among Veterans accessing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare; however, there have been no studies on the prevalence or incidence of tinnitus in the U.S. Submarine Force. This retrospective cohort study examined tinnitus incidence rates and risk factors in male submariners using Cox proportional hazards regression. From 2004 to 2014, 317 tinnitus medical encounter diagnoses occurred among 19,655 submariners. There were 90,255.82 person-years of risk-time, yielding an incidence rate of 3.5 cases per 1,000 person-years (95% CI 3.1, 3.9). Adjusted hazard ratios indicated being older upon Submarine Force entry or having the most time assigned to submariner duty was associated with highest risk for tinnitus. For officers alone, prior assignment to surface ships was associated with a protective effect. Future hearing conservation efforts should focus on preventive measures including broadening the occupational roles in submarines that require personal protective equipment for hearing loss and tinnitus prevention.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 04, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1134995
Entities
People
- Kelly Watts
- Linda M. Hughes
- Marleen Welsh
- Robert Nordness
- Victoria Nagy
Organizations
- Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory