TEST OF HEARING HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR FARM AND RURAL YOUTH

描述(申请人提供)：农场和农村青年经常暴露在农场和娱乐场所的有害噪音中，噪音导致的听力损失的患病率增加。据估计，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、雇佣工人、移徙工人或季节性工人的子女或农场访客暴露在农场噪音危险中。这种噪声暴露从很小的时候就开始了，再加上经常暴露在娱乐性噪声(例如，ATV和枪支)中。农场青年因噪音造成的听力损失也越来越普遍，这是一种永久性和不可逆转的疾病，对受影响的人及其家庭成员的生活质量产生了负面影响。尽管初级预防提供了最好的成功机会，但农场和农村的年轻人很少能得到职业安全和健康管理局授权的或其他听力保护计划的帮助。尽管之前对在一小群农场青年中促进听力保护的有限教育计划的测试表明，听力保护器的使用(或使用意图)短期内有所增加，但它们对这一群体的影响受到计划覆盖范围和可持续性的限制。本项目的目的是测试向广大目标群体提供的创新听力健康教育计划，并确定这些计划在促进农场和农村青年听力健康方面的有效性和可持续性。具体地说，这个项目包括：a)一个单独的交互式安全日计划，b)一个交互式安全日计划，然后是一个基于互联网的助推器，以及c)一个无干预控制。这项测试旨在确定在农场和农村青年中进行听力健康教育的最有效和最可持续的方法。只有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，以防止噪声导致的听力损失和高噪声暴露的其他负面影响，并提高这一高危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。这项以社区为基础的创新干预措施的随机对照试验旨在确定增加青少年听力保护策略使用的最有效和最可持续的方法。这项研究的结果将被用来为未来的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声导致的听力损失和高噪声暴露的其他负面影响，并改善这一高危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.