Key Findings from Research: Assessing the Association Between Hearing Loss and Dementia Among Construction Workers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cloeren, Marianne ; Dement, John M. ; Quackenbush, Jane ; Ringen, Knut ; Quinn, Patricia
• Corporate Authors:
  CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training
• Description:
  A growing body of research has found an association between hearing loss and dementia. Construction workers are disproportionately exposed to high levels of occupational noise and organic solvents, both of which can induce hearing loss. The Building Trades National Medical Screening Program (BTMed), managed by CPWR, provides health examinations for workers who formerly did construction at U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear weapons facilities. BTMed participants receive an initial screening exam and can return for a re-exam every three years, with an audiometry (hearing) test included only in the initial exam unless the participant requests another. This study focused on 24,958 BTMed participants who had audiometry data, with 56% showing hearing loss, defined as an average of at least 20 decibels loss in the better ear. The study looked for signs of dementia among the participants, making it one of the first studies to examine whether work-related hearing loss is associated with dementia. Read the report: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.70026.
• Subjects:
  Cognition Construction Industry Dementia Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Construction industry; Medical screening; Hearing loss; Audiometry; Cognitive function
• Source:
  Key findings from research. Silver Spring, MD: CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training, 2026 Apr; :1
• Publisher:
  CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Abstract
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; North Carolina ; Philadelphia Region [OSHA] ; Atlanta Region [OSHA]
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1 pdf page
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20071466
• Email:
  MCloeren@som.umaryland.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2026
• NORA Priority Area:
  Construction
• Performing Organization:
  CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training, Silver Spring, Maryland
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20240901
• End Date:
  20290831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ce81fed4e945769c50091b894274cbb96b82f02a1023b4e93f0fd830751aa4b4ccd0e43b923f5647818e973f23ff0cf29eb18af298779d465989e74be2795f40
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/259064/cdc_259064_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 173.21 KB ]