Chiao Lab

Research focus

NIH R01 · 2024

Characterizing the Effects of Chronic Substance Misuse on Auditory and Vestibular Function

Accumulating reports indicate that substance use disorders (SUDs) and overdoses result in hearing loss (HL) and vestibular loss (VL). This is problematic because hearing and balance are important for communication, employment, mental health, physical independence, and overall quality of life. HL and VL would have a greater negative impact on people with SUDs, as this population already struggles with a higher incidence of mental health issues, unemployment, and poorer quality of life. People of minority status with HL/VL are further marginalized because of socioeconomic and/or cultural barriers to audiological healthcare. Unfortunately, the literature on substance-misuse-related HL is…

From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.