Evaluation of a Hearing Conservation Program for Farm Youth: A 15-Year Follow-up

描述（由申请人提供）：该提案与PA中列出的两个优先事项相关：1)开发降低职业危害风险的工作实践，以及2)识别和调查危险工作条件与相关职业病和伤害之间的关系。农业被认为是最容易受到危险噪音影响的行业之一。从事农业生产的青年暴露在这些危险的噪音水平中，几项研究表明，在积极从事农业工作的儿童和青年中，噪音引起的听力损失的患病率有所增加。职业安全与健康管理局（OSHA）要求在8个工作小时内平均噪音水平等于或超过85分贝的行业实施听力保护计划。然而，大多数农业工作场所不受OSHA法规的约束，因此必须确定和评估促进农业青年听力保护的替代策略。本研究的目的是评估农业青年听力保护计划的评估：一项为期15年的随访，旨在评估针对从事农业工作的初中和高中青年的为期4年的听力保护计划的长期有效性。这项拟议的研究建立在先前由niosh资助的1992-1996年进行的随机对照试验基础上。我们将尽可能多地找到以前的学生，以确定他们是否愿意参与这项研究。那些愿意参加的人将被要求完成一份关于职业和娱乐噪音暴露以及听力保护装置使用情况的调查。他们还将被安排进行纯音听力阈值测试。调查结果和听力阈值测试将为早期干预在维持听力保护行为和预防年轻工人噪声性听力损失中的作用提供信息。这是开展具有长期结果的队列研究的难得和独特的机会，因此对职业健康非常重要。7. 噪音引起的听力损失是一个主要的公共卫生问题，NIOSH的国家职业研究议程和2010年健康人都将其列为优先事项。农业是被确定为接触到危险噪音水平最高的行业之一；然而，大多数农业工作场所不受OSHA听力保护规定的约束，因此必须确定和评估促进农业青年听力保护的替代策略。这项研究建立在之前由美国国家职业安全与健康研究所（NIOSH）资助的1992-1996年听力保护项目的随机对照试验的基础上(5)，并将评估早期干预在维持听力保护行为和预防年轻工人噪音引起的听力损失方面的作用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal is relevant to two priorities listed in the PA: 1) Development of work practices that reduce the risk of occupational hazards, and 2) Identification and investigation of the relationship between hazardous working conditions and associated occupational disease and injuries. Agriculture is one of the industries identified to have the highest exposure to dangerous levels of noise. Youth who work in agricultural production are exposed to these dangerous noise levels and several studies have demonstrated an increased prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss among children and youth who were actively involved in farm work. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates hearing conservation programs in industries where noise levels equal or exceed 85 decibels averaged over 8 working hours. However, most agricultural worksites are exempt from OSHA regulations so alternative strategies to promote hearing conservation among farm youth must be identified and evaluated. The purpose of this proposed study, }Evaluation of a Hearing Conservation Program for Farm Youth: A 15-Year Follow-Up,} is to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of a 4-year hearing conservation program directed at junior and senior high school youth working in agriculture. The proposed study builds upon a previous NIOSH-funded randomized controlled trial conducted from 1992-1996. We will locate as many of the former students as possible to determine their willingness to participate in this study. Those that are willing to participate will be asked to complete a survey addressing occupational and recreational noise exposure and the use of hearing protection devices. They will also be scheduled for a pure tone audiometric threshold test. The results of the survey and audiometric threshold test will provide information on the role of early intervention in sustaining hearing protection behaviors and preventing noise-induced hearing loss in young workers. This is a rare and unique opportunity to develop a cohort study with long-term outcomes, and hence is quite important to occupational health. 7. Project Narrative Noise-induced hearing loss is a major public health concern as evidenced by its listing as a priority in both NIOSH's National Occupational Research Agenda and Healthy People 2010. Agriculture is one of the industries identified as having the highest exposure to dangerous levels of noise; however, most agricultural worksites are exempt from OSHA hearing conservation regulations so alternative strategies to promote hearing conservation among farm youth must be identified and evaluated. This proposed study builds upon a previous National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-funded, randomized controlled trial of a hearing conservation program conducted from 1992-1996 (5) and will assess the role of early intervention in sustaining hearing protection behaviors and preventing noise-induced hearing loss in young workers.