340.690.11
Epidemiologic Approaches to Hearing Loss and Public Health

Location
East Baltimore
Term
Summer Institute
Department
Epidemiology
Credit(s)
1
Academic Year
2025 - 2026
Instruction Method
In-person
Class Time(s)
Saturday, 8:30am - 4:30pm
Auditors Allowed
No
Available to Undergraduate
No
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Jennifer Deal
Nicholas Reed
Contact Name
Jennifer Deal
Frequency Schedule
Every Year
Description
Hearing loss impacts two-thirds of adults over the age of 70 years old and is associated with important gerontological outcomes including dementia and falls. Hearing aids represent the most common approach to addressing hearing loss. However, less than twenty percent of persons with hearing loss own and use hearing aids. This course will provide the foundational knowledge to investigate and address hearing loss as a public health concern.
Introduces biologic, epidemiologic and clinical aspects of aging-related declines in the auditory system. Demonstrates methods of assessment of auditory function for epidemiologic studies. Reviews current epidemiologic knowledge of sensory function and aging-related outcomes in older adults, including the epidemiology and consequences of dual sensory loss. Presents areas for future research and opportunities for intervention and prevention
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  1. Apply basic epidemiologic methodology to answer key public health questions addressing and understanding hearing loss among older adults
  2. Evaluate potential explanations for epidemiologic associations between hearing loss and gerontologic outcomes
  3. Identify and compare commonly used measures of hearing loss and the strengths and limitations of these measures in epidemiologic studies in older adults
Methods of Assessment
This course is evaluated as follows:
  • 80% Assignments
  • 20% Quizzes
Instructor Consent
No consent required
Special Comments

Students will not be allowed to take both this course and its parent course, 340.699.01, for credit.
This is a hybrid course with both an in-person section (340.690.11) and a synchronous online section (340.690.49), taught via Zoom. Please choose the modality you need (either online or in-person) when registering in SIS. Pre-course lecture and readings will be posted in CoursePlus before the start of classes.