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Predicting use of hearing protection: a preliminary study
1University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor 48109-0482.
Public Health Nursing (Boston, Mass.)
|September 1, 1993
Summary
Workers often don't use hearing protection despite knowing its importance. Perceived benefits and self-efficacy significantly influence consistent hearing protection use, crucial for preventing noise-induced hearing loss.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Health Psychology
- Nursing Research
Background:
- Noise-induced hearing loss is a major occupational hazard identified by NIOSH.
- Focus has been on noise reduction, not consistent hearing protection use by workers.
- Developing a causal model for hearing protection use is key for nursing interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a preliminary study for testing Pender's Health Promotion Model (HPM).
- To identify factors influencing workers' consistent use of hearing protection.
- To lay groundwork for developing nursing interventions to increase hearing protection use.
Main Methods:
- A preliminary study involving 98 skilled tradesmen at their worksites.
- Data collection via written questionnaires.
- Analysis using correlation and regression to examine HPM components and health behaviors.
Main Results:
- Reported hearing protection use averaged 50.3%, despite 98% indicating it was required.
- Use positively correlated with perceived benefits, self-efficacy, outcome values, and health behaviors (self-actualization, stress management).
- Perceived barriers negatively correlated with use; HPM benefits, self-actualization, and interpersonal support predicted 24% of use variance.
Conclusions:
- Workers' perceptions of benefits and specific health behaviors are significant predictors of hearing protection use.
- Understanding these predictors is vital for nurses to design effective interventions.
- Increased hearing protection use can decrease occupational hearing losses.