Modeling the Unites States government's economic cost of noise-induced hearing loss for a military population
Modeling the Unites States government's economic cost of noise-induced hearing loss for a military population
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DOI：
10.5271/sjweh.2911
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发表时间：
2010-05-01
影响因子：
6.3
通讯作者：
Rodriguez, Francisco A.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Tufts, Jennifer B.;Weathersby, Paul K.;Rodriguez, Francisco A.
目的论证建立噪声性听力损失经济成本模型的可行性和实用性。首先，我们概述了美国海军水兵暴露在“工业”型噪声环境下的NIHL经济模型。接下来，我们描述了改变两个中央模型输入的噪声暴露水平和暴露持续时间对NIHL相关成本的影响。这样的分析可以帮助确定有希望的领域的优先顺序，这些领域应该投入有限的资源来降低与NIHL相关的成本。方法采用有限元方法计算美国政府承担的与NIHL相关的成本，并考虑到不同程度的NIHL的易感性。根据ANSI S3.44-1996计算人群的预测听力阈值，并将其作为计算与NIHL相关的费用的基础。跟踪了年度和累计成本。系统地改变了噪声暴露水平和持续时间，以确定它们对特定美国海军水兵群体的预期寿命相关成本的影响。结果我们的名义噪声暴露案例[6年93分贝(A)]得出每个水兵的总预期寿命成本为13 472美元，合理的下限和上限分别为2500美元和26 000美元。从名义情况开始，暴露水平或持续时间减少50%将分别产生约23%和19%的成本节约。我们的结论是，降低噪声水平比减少相同百分比的暴露年限更具成本效益。结论我们的经济成本模型可以用来估计单个军事人口噪声暴露水平和/或持续时间的变化导致的NIHL相关成本的变化。虽然该模式目前存在局限性，但也提出了使其适应平民人口的建议。
Objective The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the feasibility and utility of developing economic cost models for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). First, we outline an economic model of NIHL for a population of US Navy sailors with an "industrial"-type noise exposure. Next, we describe the effect on NIHL-related cost of varying the two central model inputs the noise-exposure level and the duration of exposure. Such an analysis can help prioritize promising areas, to which limited resources to reduce NIHL-related costs should be devoted.Methods NIHL-related costs borne by the US government were computed on a yearly basis using a finite element approach that took into account varying levels of susceptibility to NIHL. Predicted hearing thresholds for the population were computed with ANSI S3.44-1996 and then used as the basis for the calculation of NIHL-related costs. Annual and cumulative costs were tracked. Noise-exposure level and duration were systematically varied to determine their effects on the expected lifetime NIHL-related cost of a specific US Navy sailor population.Results Our nominal noise-exposure case [93 dB(A) for six years] yielded a total expected lifetime cost of US$13 472 per sailor, with plausible lower and upper bounds of US$2500 and US$26 000. Starting with the nominal case, a decrease of 50% in exposure level or duration would yield cost savings of approximately 23% and 19%, respectively. We concluded that a reduction in noise level would be more somewhat more cost-effective than the same percentage reduction in years of exposure.Conclusion Our economic cost model can be used to estimate the changes in NIHL-related costs that would result from changes in noise-exposure level and/or duration for a single military population. Although the model is limited at present, suggestions are provided for adapting it to civilian populations.