DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE - CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS

Vision – Reduce the burden of hearing loss on Service Members, Veterans, and the American public

Hearing Restoration Research Program Booklet Cover Image
» Click on Image to View Program Booklet

Hearing Restoration Research Program Strategic Plan Cover Image
» Click on Image to View Strategic Plan

Hearing Restoration Research Program Summary Sheet Cover Image
» Click on Image to View Program Summary Sheet

Hearing loss is a silent epidemic. 15% of adults aged 18 and over had some degree of hearing loss, making it the third most common chronic physical condition in the United States and more prevalent than diabetes (9%) or cancer (8%).1 Hearing loss is especially common among older adults, affecting nearly 25% of those aged 65-74 and 50% of those 75 or older. Although invisible, hearing loss has a significant impact on quality of life and is a major risk factor for social isolation, cognition decline, anxiety, and depression.

Service Members are exposed to high levels of noise, which significantly increases the risk for hearing loss.2 Hearing loss not only adversely impacts force readiness, survivability, and lethality of Service Members, but also has a profound effect on the quality of life of Veterans. Nearly 1.5 million Veterans are affected by service-connected disability due to hearing loss, making it one of the most common disabilities among Veterans.3

In recognition of the lack of effective treatment for hearing loss, the threat it poses to medical readiness of Service Members, the high costs to the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the magnitude of the challenge, Congress established the Hearing Restoration Research Program (HRRP) in FY17 to accelerate research and development in this critical area.

The HRRP invests in innovative research that advances the understanding of auditory injury and the repair and regeneration of the auditory system. The groundbreaking research funded by the HRRP will remove barriers to hearing restoration.

1Blackwell DL, Lucas JW, Clarke TC. (2014) Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2012. Vital and Health Statistics. Series 10, No. 260. National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_260.pdf

2Wells TS, Seelig AD, Ryan MA, et al. 2015. Hearing Loss Associated with U.S. Military Combat Deployment. Noise Health. 17(74):34-42.

3Veterans Benefits Administration Annual Benefits Report, Fiscal Year 2023. (2024) Veterans Benefits Administration. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
https://www.benefits.va.gov/REPORTS/abr/docs/2023-abr.pdf

Resources for Investigators:


Congressional Appropriations Icon

Congressional Appropriations

  • $65 million
    FY17-23
  • $5 million
    FY24

Funding Summary Icon

Funding
Summary

News and Highlights Icon News & Highlights

Vision

Reduce the burden of hearing loss on Service Members, Veterans, and the American public

Mission

Deliver groundbreaking research and solutions for hearing restoration by advancing the understanding, diagnosis, repair, and regeneration of the auditory system

Last updated Tuesday, October 8, 2024