TEST OF HEARING HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR FARM AND RURAL YOUTH

描述（由申请人提供）：农场和农村青年经常在农场和娱乐中接触有害噪音，并且噪音引起的听力损失的患病率增加。估计有200万20岁以下的儿童和青少年作为农场居民、农场家庭工人、受雇工人、移民或季节性工人的子女或农场访客暴露于农场噪音危害中。这种噪音暴露从很小的时候就开始了，并且经常暴露于娱乐噪音（例如，全地形车和枪支）。农村青年的噪音性听力损失患病率也在增加，这是一种永久性和不可逆转的状况，对受影响者及其家庭成员的生活质量产生负面影响。虽然初级预防为成功提供了最好的机会，但农业和农村青年很少得到职业安全与健康管理局授权的或其他听力保护计划的服务。虽然之前的测试表明，在一小群农业青年中，有限的教育项目促进了听力保护，但听力保护器的使用（或意图使用）在短期内有所增加，但它们对这一人群的影响受到项目范围和可持续性的限制。这个项目的目的是测试创新的听力健康教育计划，并向一个大的目标群体提供，并确定这些计划在促进农业和农村青年听力健康方面的有效性和可持续性。具体而言，该项目包括：a)单独的交互式安全日计划，b)交互式安全日计划，随后是基于互联网的助推器，以及c)无干预控制。该测试旨在确定对农村和农村青年进行听力健康教育的最有效和可持续的方法。只有通过有效和可持续的听力健康教育计划，才能增加听力保护策略的使用，以防止噪音引起的听力损失和其他高噪音暴露的负面影响，并改善这一高风险和服务不足群体的生活质量。该项目将涉及密歇根大学护理学院和一个主要的农场和农村青年安全教育组织之间的合作伙伴关系，以实现项目目标。这项基于创新社区干预的随机对照试验旨在确定最有效和可持续的方法来增加青少年使用听力保护策略。这项研究的结果将用于为未来的RTP研究提供信息，以保护农场和农村青年的健康和安全。持续使用听力保护策略有望降低噪音引起的听力损失率和高噪音暴露的其他负面影响，并改善这一高风险和服务不足群体的生活质量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Farm and rural youth have frequent exposure to hazardous noise on the farm and recreationally, and have an increased prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss. An estimated 2 million children and adolescents younger than 20 years of age are exposed to farm noise hazards as farm residents, farm family workers, hired workers, children of migrant or seasonal workers, or farm visitors. This noise exposure begins from an early age, and is compounded by frequent exposure to recreational noise (e.g., ATVs and firearms). Farm youth also have an increased prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss, a permanent and irreversible condition negatively impacting quality of life of the affected person, as well as their family members. Although primary prevention offers the best opportunity for success, farm and rural youth are rarely served by an Occupational Safety and Health Administration-mandated or other hearing conservation program. Although previous tests of limited educational programs to promote hearing conservation among small groups of farm youth have demonstrated short-term increases in hearing protector use (or intent to use), their impact on this population has been limited by program reach and sustainability. The purpose of this project is to test innovative hearing health education programs delivered to a large target group and to determine the effectiveness and sustainability of these programs in promoting hearing health among farm and rural youth. Specifically, this project includes: a) an interactive Safety Days program alone, b) an interactive Safety Days program followed by an Internet-based booster, and c) a no-intervention control. This test is designed to determine the most effective and sustainable approach to hearing health education among farm and rural youth. Only with effective and sustainable hearing health education programs can use of hearing conservation strategies is increased to prevent noise-induced hearing loss and other negative effects of high noise exposure, and improve quality of life in this high-risk and underserved group. This project will involve a partnership between the University Of Michigan School Of Nursing and a major farm and rural youth safety education organization to accomplish project aims. This randomized-controlled trial of innovative community- based interventions is designed to determine the most effective and sustainable approach to increase youths' use of hearing protection strategies. Results of this study will be used to inform future RTP studies to protect the health and safety of farm and rural youth. Consistent use of hearing conservation strategies is expected to reduce rates of noise-induced hearing loss and other negative effects of high noise exposure, and improve quality of life in this high-risk and underserved group.