Hearing health and care: The need for improved hearing loss prevention and hearing conservation practices

2005 ◽  
Vol 42 (4s) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Fausti ◽  
Debra J. Wilmington ◽  
Patrick V. Helt ◽  
Wendy J. Helt ◽  
Dawn Konrad-Martin
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Conservation Practices ◽  
Loss Prevention ◽  
Hearing Conservation ◽  
Hearing Health

Promoting Hearing Loss Prevention in Audiology Practice

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C. Byrne ◽  
Christa L. Themann ◽  
Deanna K. Meinke ◽  
Thais C. Morata ◽  
Mark R. Stephenson
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sound Level ◽  
Health Campaigns ◽  
Loss Prevention ◽  
Hearing Conservation ◽  
Prevention Services ◽  
Occupational Programs ◽  
Strategic Position ◽  
Public Health Campaigns ◽  
Self Protection

An audiologist should be the principal provider and advocate for all hearing loss prevention activities. Many audiologists equate hearing loss prevention with industrial audiology and occupational hearing conservation programs. However, an audiologist’s involvement in hearing loss prevention should not be confined to that one particular practice setting. In addition to supervising occupational programs, audiologists are uniquely qualified to raise awareness of hearing risks, organize public health campaigns, promote healthy hearing, implement intervention programs, and monitor outcomes. For example, clinical audiologists can show clients how to use inexpensive sound level meters, noise dosimeters, or phone apps to measure noise levels, and recommend appropriate hearing protection. Audiologists should identify community events that may involve hazardous exposures and propose strategies to minimize risks to hearing. Audiologists can help shape the knowledge, beliefs, motivations, attitudes, and behaviors of individuals toward self-protection. An audiologist has the education, tools, opportunity, and strategic position to facilitate or promote hearing loss surveillance and prevention services and activities. This article highlights real-world examples of the various roles and substantial contributions audiologists can make toward hearing loss prevention goals.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Hearing Loss Prevention Education for Active Duty Military Personnel: A Preliminary Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 684-698
Author(s):  
Sharon Beamer ◽  
Catherine Gagne ◽  
Nutan Chada ◽  
Hina Mehta ◽  
Sheila Piper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Active Duty ◽  
Hearing Protection ◽  
Noise Induced Hearing Loss ◽  
Educational Materials ◽  
Loss Prevention ◽  
Prevention Education ◽  
Hearing Health ◽  
The Military

Purpose The combination of effective hearing health education and hearing protection establishes a strong foundation of hearing loss prevention efforts in the military; however, it is not clear which elements of the educational materials used in hearing loss prevention programs are the most effective in preventing noise-induced hearing loss. To explore this question, a cohort of Excellence in Government Fellowship participants and the Army Hearing Program conducted a preliminary study examining two hearing health education materials. Method A convenience sample of active duty personnel reviewed a hearing health education Technical Guide and video, developed by the military for hearing conservation programs. A “pre- and posteducation” questionnaire was administered to assess the participants' knowledge regarding hearing protection, causes of noise-induced hearing loss, effects of noise on hearing, noise exposure both on and off duty, and satisfaction with educational materials provided during the session. Results Short-term learning effects from the educational materials was achieved for some knowledge-based items (> 10% change from pre-education to posteducation), particularly for questions related to the effect of noise-induced hearing loss on ability to hear speech or hear at a distance. Thirty five percent of study participants reported using hearing protection in hazardous noise 75%–100% of the time. Primary reason for not using hearing protection was comfort. Conclusions Despite hearing loss prevention efforts in the military, hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ears) continue to be prevalent service-connected disabilities among veterans. This study offers some insights regarding current hearing loss prevention understanding and practices for a group of active duty U.S. military personnel. Results from this study can inform future improvements in military hearing loss prevention education.

Noise Exposure Levels for Student Musicians

2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 160-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa L Miller ◽  
Michael Stewart ◽  
Mark Lehman
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
University Student ◽  
Conservation Practices ◽  
Sporting Events ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Hearing Conservation ◽  
Weighted Averages ◽  
Exposure Levels ◽  
Loud Music

Twenty-seven student musicians were surveyed regarding musical practice and playing habits, knowledge of hearing conservation practices, use of hearing protective devices (HPD), and the occurrence of tinnitus after exposure to loud music. In addition, noise exposure levels during practice and sporting events (football and basketball games) at which they played were monitored with a dosimeter simultaneously set to measure noise levels using the OSHA (1983) and NIOSH (1998) measurement criteria. Forty-eight percent of the subjects reported practicing or playing their instrument <10 hours a week. Most musicians (74%) reported having been taught about the effects of noise on hearing and health; however, less than a third used ear protection while playing their instruments, and those who did used it inconsistently. Sixty-three percent of subjects reported experiencing tinnitus after exposure to loud music. Finally, 8-hour time-weighted averages (TWA) and daily noise doses were significantly higher using the NIOSH measurement criteria than the OSHA measurement criteria. Both measurement criteria yielded values that exceeded a 100% daily noise dose for all subjects. Overall, these results indicate that university student directors and musicians appear to be at high risk for permanent noise-induced hearing loss secondary to excessive exposure to loud music. These results support the need for on-going hearing conservation programs to educate student musicians and student directors about the dangers of excessive exposure to loud music.

Noise exposure and hearing conservation practices in an industry with high incidence of workers' compensation claims for hearing loss

2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 309-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Daniell ◽  
Susan S. Swan ◽  
Mary M. McDaniel ◽  
John G. Stebbins ◽  
Noah S. Seixas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Workers Compensation ◽  
Conservation Practices ◽  
Hearing Conservation ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
Compensation Claims

The Effectiveness of an Educational Hearing Conservation Program for Elementary School Children

1991 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 308-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gail D. Chermak ◽  
Elizabeth Peters-McCarthy
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Regular Education ◽  
Conservation Practices ◽  
Noise Induced Hearing Loss ◽  
Educational Programming ◽  
Health Habits ◽  
Conservation Programs ◽  
Hearing Conservation

An educational hearing conservation (HCP) program was designed and presented to 45 normal hearing third- and fourth-grade children enrolled in regular education programs. Questionnaires assessing knowledge of hearing, noise-induced hearing loss, and hearing conservation practices were administered prior to and following a HCP which consisted of a lecture, film, hearing screening demonstration, question and answer and discovery learning periods, and distribution of earplugs and a handout. Most children reported that they did not participate in noisy activities; however, of those who did participate an average of only 5.5% (2.5) reported use of ear protection. Knowledge about noise and noise-induced hearing loss increased an average of 23% following the HCP and 91.1% reported that they "learned something" from the HCP. Post-HCP responses revealed that 96.7% of the children intended to use ear protection when engaged in the depicted noisy activities. Although students indicated their intentions to pursue hearing conservation practices, follow-up studies are needed to determine whether hearing conservation programs are effective in establishing positive, long-term hearing health habits. School hearing conservation programs must be comprehensive in scope, including educational programming aimed at prevention and reduction of the prevalence of hearing loss, as well as identification and management of hearing loss.

The Effectiveness of an Interactive Hearing Conservation Program for Elementary School Children

1996 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gail D. Chermak ◽  
Lori Curtis ◽  
J. Anthony Seikel
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Elementary School Children ◽  
Regular Education ◽  
Conservation Practices ◽  
Noise Induced Hearing Loss ◽  
Loud Noise ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Hearing Conservation ◽  
Conservation Program ◽  
Before And After

An educational hearing conservation program (HCP) emphasizing student participation and supplemental in-class activities led by a teacher was presented in two 1-hour sessions to two classes of fourth-grade children enrolled in regular education programs. Questionnaires assessing their knowledge of hearing, noise-induced hearing loss, and hearing conservation practices were administered before and after the HCP. Significant increases in knowledge concerning noise-induced hearing loss and hearing conservation practices were seen in both classes, with greater gain seen among students receiving more extensive supplemental activities. Post-HCP responses revealed that the majority of the children intend to use ear protection when engaged in noisy activities. Teachers indicated they would increase coverage of hearing and hearing conservation in their classrooms and use hearing protection when exposed to loud noise.

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