For decades, the annual NHCA Conference was held in February, almost always in what we hoped would be a warm climate. Sometimes that worked out, and sometimes it did not. Remember Savannah’s ice storm in 2007 or freezing in Dallas in 2019?

As the Executive Council considered NHCA’s evolution and future direction, we began exploring the possibility of moving the annual conference to the spring, when warmer weather is less likely to disrupt travel plans. The conference team at Civica worked closely with the Presidential Trio to identify a location and venue for NHCA 2027. We are pleased to announce that the 2027 NHCA Annual Conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, April 22–24.

So, pack your warm-weather clothes and join us as we make more NHCA history in 2027.

Abstract submissions are now open. All submissions are due by November 2, 2026. All submissions will be reviewed, and participants will be notified of acceptance by December 4, 2026.

Congratulations to the 2026 Student Research Award recipients!

Marcus Gill
University of Northern Colorado
Research Topic: Outcomes of Hearing Protector Fit Testing in Collegiate Musicians 

Prathna Patel
University of British Columbia
Research Topic: Hearing Loss in the British Columbia Oil and Gas Industry: The Role of Ototoxicants 

Further details regarding the awards will be shared in the upcoming Spectrum edition. To learn more about the SRA page and to make NHCASF donations that allow us to continue to provide scholarships, follow the links.

1. Association between hypertension status and severity and tinnitus: a cross-sectional analysis of the Fasa adult cohort study. Najibi A, Bazmi S, Moradi M, Mohammadi Z, Al Kamel A, Yazdanpanah MH, Farjam M.BMJ Open. 2026 Jun 8;16(6):e109272. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-109272.PMID: 42259562 Free PMC article.
2. Cognitive workload, perceived environmental noise, and alarm fatigue among multidisciplinary intensive care unit staff: A pre-intervention cross-sectional study Ong WJD, Chong WHK, Yap AU, Khan FA.Appl Nurs Res. 2026 Jun;89:152087. doi: 10.1016/j.apnr.2026.152087. Epub 2026 Mar 25.PMID: 42225343 Free article.
3. A method to record drilling noise during skull surgery for the development of noise-reducing assistance systems. Gille K, Rückert U, Günther S, Neudert M, Bornitz M, Koch M.Hear Res. 2026 Jun;476:109633. doi: 10.1016/j.heares.2026.109633. Epub 2026 Apr 9.PMID: 42000647 Free article.
4. Traffic noise, air pollution, and greenness in relation to age-related macular degeneration: Evidence from a cross-national cohort study. Cui X, Hui J, Han Q.Environ Pollut. 2026 Jun 1;398:128042. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128042. Epub 2026 Apr 1.PMID: 41932376 Free article.
5. The association between outdoor noise and temperature exposure with incident type 2 diabetes, and mediation by sleep and body mass index: A multi-cohort analysis. Siddiqui NZ, Mackenbach JD, Pinho MGM, Bosma H, Galenkamp H, Huisman M, Koster A, Lakerveld J, Penninx BWJH, Picavet HSJ, Schram MT, Timmermans EJ, Monique Verschuren W, Wagtendonk A, Rutters F, Beulens JWJ.Environ Res. 2026 Jun 1;298:124255. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.124255. Epub 2026 Mar 10.PMID: 41819206 Free article.
6. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Acute Acoustic Trauma: Blast versus Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. Gur I, Gur I, Jerdev T, Nov Y.Isr Med Assoc J. 2026 Jun;28(6):369-375.PMID: 42345228 Free article.
7. Prevalence of Hearing Impairment Among Young Adults. Rittblat M, Tsur N, Etedgi H, Ekshtein A, Avni M, Ben-Ari O.Isr Med Assoc J. 2026 Jun;28(6):348-351.PMID: 42345224 Free article.

Who is NHCA?

Our Vision: To prevent hearing loss and other auditory disorders due to noise and secondary environmental factors in all sectors of society.

Our Mission: NHCA provides leadership, expertise, and education on hearing loss prevention strategies and services to the broader professional community and empowers and supports members through networking and advocacy.