Related Experiment Videos
Evaluation of industrial hearing conservation programs: a review and analysis
American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal
|July 1, 1984
Summary
Evaluating industrial hearing conservation programs is crucial for noise-induced hearing loss prevention. Current data limitations hinder the selection of optimal evaluation methods, necessitating systematic data collection for standardized procedures.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Audiology
- Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Background:
- A 1981 review by the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke focused on 1970s literature regarding noise effects on hearing.
- The review highlighted the need to evaluate industrial hearing conservation programs, noting limited prior research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current status of methods for evaluating industrial hearing conservation programs.
- To identify and analyze existing evaluation techniques.
Main Methods:
- Detailed examination of three evaluation methods: criteria for significant threshold shift, Pell's methods (DuPont), and Royster's methods.
- Literature review of studies published in the 1970s.
Main Results:
- Published information on evaluating hearing conservation programs was scarce before 1970, with investigations only recently emerging.
- Data availability and quality currently prevent the selection of an optimal evaluation procedure.
Conclusions:
- Systematic data collection and analysis from industrial programs are essential.
- Standardized procedures for evaluating hearing conservation programs require further development and validation.