Hearing Loss in Older Adults Tied to Increased Risk for Depression
A research review, recently published in the journal The Gerontologist, suggests that older adults with hearing loss may be more likely than their peers without hearing difficulty to develop symptoms of depression. Compared to people without hearing loss, the study found older adults with some form of hearing loss were 47 percent more likely to…
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New Podcast Addresses Silent Epidemic of Hearing Loss
If you’re looking to bone up on your knowledge of the consequences of untreated hearing loss in adults, look no further than a recent New England Journal of Medicine podcast featuring Charlotte Yeh, MD, Chief Medical Officer of AARP. Hosted by Chief Medical Officer of Press Ganey Associates, Thomas Lee, MD, the 12-minute interview highlights…
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Study Finds People Under Age 50 with Hearing Loss at Higher Risk of Opioid and Alcohol Issues
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN — According to a newly published study, prescription opioid use disorder was found to be twice as high among deaf and hard-of-hearing young and middle-aged adults, when compared with peers who don’t have hearing loss. The study by researchers at the University of Michigan and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, published…
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Legal Update: Defective Earplugs and 3M Lawsuit
Editor’s Note: Today’s post comes from guest contributor, and consumer advocate, Joseph Oot The 3M Company is reportedly facing legal issues once again over their dual-ended Combat Arms Earplugs, Version 2 (CAEv2), as veterans and military members across the country are filing lawsuits. In May 2016, Moldex-Metric filed a lawsuit against 3M on behalf of…
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New Trial Raising Hope for Development of First Drug to Restore Hearing
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — Researchers at UCLH’s Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital (RNTNEH) and UCL Ear Institute are leading a drug trial aimed at regenerating the sensory receptors (hair cells) in the inner ear. While long thought to be irreversible, past animal studies have indicated that these cells can be regenerated through the…
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New WHO Report Outlines Vital Role of Early Identification of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is a global challenge that affects an astonishing one in three people over the age of 65. To intensify the matter, untreated loss, as a plethora of studies indicate, increases the risk of health complications, including dementia, depression, social isolation, and more frequent hospitalizations. A new, wide-ranging report, however, reveals the pervasive impact…
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Canadian Diplomats Sue Government for $28 Million Over Illnesses Related to Sonic Attacks
TORONTO, CANADA — According to media reports this week, several Canadian diplomats that suffered mysterious illnesses due to the purported sonic attacks while serving in Havana, Cuba, are suing their government for ignoring or attempting to cover up information about their symptoms, as well as waiting too long to remove them from the country. In…
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Google Unveils Two New Android Apps to Help Persons with Hearing Loss
According to a February 4th Fortune report, Google is rolling out two new Android apps to help people with hearing loss. The first, Live Transcribe, gives persons with hearing loss text-to-speech capabilities, thus providing real-time captions for conversations that scroll on the Android users’ phones. Live Transcribe will gradually roll out in a limited test to…
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Hearing Loss, Dementia and Cargo Cult Science
The preeminent American physicist, Richard Feynman, coined the term “cargo cult science” to describe practices that on the surface appear scientific, but upon closer scrutiny lack any of the precepts of the scientific method. A January 25th JAMA viewpoint article raises the red flag on the rise of pseudoscience in the care of older adults…
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News Roundup for January 9: A Veritable Dog’s Breakfast of Stories from Around the Profession and the Industry.
New Study Examines Barriers to Hearing Care Services Among Medicare Population In the January 2019 issue of Health Affairs, a peer-reviewed health policy journal, researchers at Johns Hopkins University’s Cochlear Center for Hearing Loss and Public Health shed light on the accessibility of hearing care services in the Medicare-eligible population. Using 2013 survey data…
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