Research

Resource center

Peer Review Medical Research Program

Thanks to ATA’s advocacy efforts, the Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2008 includes requests for tinnitus-related proposals for its $50 million Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP). Congress established this program in 1999 to study combat-related illness. This is the first time tinnitus has been listed as a researchable condition under this program since its inception.

Requests for proposals are now out and successful applications must demonstrate direct relevance to military personnel engaged in combat. ATA designed this resource center to help you make that connection.

PRMRP applications undergo two reviews: first a scientific peer review, then a programmatic review. The programmatic review, done by the Joint Programmatic Review Panel, determines the relevance of the proposal to military personnel. Good proposals with high programmatic relevance may receive funding priority over superior proposals with low programmatic relevance. It is vital to demonstrate a relationship between your tinnitus research proposal and the military population. This resource center can help you establish that military relevance.  

The following documents provide current statistical information, research and resources on tinnitus in military populations. ATA is pleased to provide this helpful information to you at the click of your mouse.

The Facts:

  • This military fact sheet provides data on the incidence of tinnitus within military populations, as well as the alarming increase in tinnitus seen over the past six years.
  • These graphs provide startling visuals of the increase in incidence of tinnitus within veterans since 2001. Additionally they illustrate the rising cost of disability compensation to veterans and provide projections out to 2011 should these trends continue.
  • The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently reported that tinnitus is the number one service connected disability from the Global War on Terror.
  • The PRMRP’s annual report from 2006 provides a snapshot of the types of grant proposals received and funded during the previous two years.
  • This document shows how tinnitus and hearing loss specifically degrade combat performance.

Research articles:

Cave, K.M, Cornish, E.M., Chandler D.W. (2007). Blast injury of the ear: clinical update from the global war on terror. Military Medicine, 172(7), 726-730.

Chandler, D. (2006, July 11). Blast-related ear injury in current U.S. military operations.  The ASHA Leader, 11(9), 8-9, 29. Retrieved January 15, 2008, from http://www.asha.org/about/publications/leader-online/archives/2006/060711/f060711a2.htm

Fagelson, M.A. (2007). The association between tinnitus and posttraumatic stress disorder. American Journal of Audiology, 16(2), 107-117.

Helfer T.M., Jordan N.N., Lee R.B. (2005). Postdeployment hearing loss in U.S. Army soldiers seen at audiology clinics from April 1, 2003, through March 31, 2004. American Journal of Audiology, 14(2), 161-168.

Hinton D.E., Chhean D., Pich V., Hofmann S.G., Barlow D.H. (2006). Tinnitus among Cambodian refugees: relationship to PTSD severity. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 19(4), 541-546.

Humes, L., Joellenbeck, L., M., Durch, J. (2006). Noise and Military Service: Implications for Hearing Loss and Tinnitus. Washington, D.C., The National Academies Press.

Lew H.L., Jerger J.F., Guillory S.B., Henry J.A. (2007). Auditory dysfunction in traumatic brain injury. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 44(7), 921-928.

Mrena, R., Savolainen, S., Kuokkanen, J.T., Ylikoski, J. (2002). Characteristics of Tinnitus Induced by Acute Acoustic Trauma: A Long-Term Follow-Up. Audiology & Neuro-Otology, 7, 122-130.

 

Helpful search terms:

Tinnitus, blast exposure, blast injury, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), war on terror, soldiers, traumatic brain injury (TBI), military.

Web links:
Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center

Google Scholar

Pubmed

Troops Return with Alarming Rates of Hearing Loss or PDF.

 Don’t leave your questions unanswered! ATA’s staff is here to help you find answers.
For research-related questions, contact director of research Amy Harris amy@ata.org. For PRMRP program questions, contact director of public affairs Jennifer DuPriest jennifer@ata.org.

Learn more about ATA’s research grant program, which awards up to $300,000 over three years.

These resources are suggestions that may improve, but do not guarantee, your chances of funding. We encourage you to seek additional resources to support your proposal.