JAAA CEU Program

The questions on this page refer to Baiduc et al, “Hearing Loss and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Profiles: Data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos,” pages 445–459.

Learner Outcomes:

Readers of this article should be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk-burden scheme used in this study.

• Determine significant associations between CVD risk factors and hearing loss specific to the Hispanic/Latino population.

CEU Questions:

1. Why is it important from clinical and public health standpoints to evaluate the association between cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and hearing loss specifically in the Hispanic/Latino population?

   • Few previous studies included Hispanics/Latinos in their assessments of CVD risk factors and hearing loss.

   • Hispanics/Latinos have a low prevalence of CVD but a high prevalence of hearing loss.

   • CVD is a rare cause of mortality among Hispanics/Latinos.

2. Statistical analysis was performed:

   • Prospectively

   • Retrospectively

   • Cross-sectionally

3. This study characterized CVD risk:

   • Using a binary CVD definition (low vs. high risk)

   • In terms of five individual CVD risk factors

   • Using four individual CVD risk factors to define five CVD risk strata

4. Consider the study definitions of CVD risk and the following participant profile: female, 55 years old, nonsmoker, type II diabetes, blood pressure 141/92 mmHg, and total cholesterol 160 mg/dL. Which CVD risk stratum fits this profile?

   • Lowest risk (optimal)

   • Exactly one major risk factor

   • Two or more major risk factors

5. Why were individuals with significant air-bone gaps excluded from analysis?

   • Because they had suspected sensory/neural pathology and this study was focused on conductive hearing loss

   • Because they had suspected conductive pathology and this study was focused on sensorineural hearing loss

   • They were not excluded.

6. In this study, for some analyses, hearing loss was treated:

   • Categorically using four categories (i.e., none, mild, moderate, severe)

   • Continuously (i.e., threshold from 0.5 to 8 kHz)

   • Dichotomously (i.e., yes/no) based on self-report

7. Which statement is true regarding the logistic regression analysis?

   • The analysis was adjusted only for age, sex, and education.

   • The analysis was sex-stratified,

   • The analysis did not account for sampling weights.

8. Among males younger than 45 years of age,

   • There was not a significant association between overall CVD risk and hearing loss.

   • Having elevated blood pressure was associated with higher odds of hearing loss.

   • Having diabetes was associated with higher odds of hearing loss.

9. Consider males and females 45 years of age or older. Regarding the association between CVD risk burden and hearing loss,

   • Males and females with two or more major CVD risk factors had significantly increased odds of hearing loss compared to those with all CVD risk factors optimal.

   • Males with one major CVD risk factor had significantly increased odds of hearing loss compared to males with all CVD risk factors optimal.

   • Females with two or more major CVD risk factors had significantly increased odds of hearing loss compared to females with all CVD risk factors optimal.

10. Generally,

    • Hearing thresholds improved with increased CVD risk burden, especially for persons less than 45 years of age.

    • Hearing thresholds declined as CVD risk burden increased, most notably for persons in the older age group.

    • Hearing thresholds were approximately the same regardless of CVD risk group for persons 45 years of age or older.

Publication History

Article published online:
04 October 2024