Evaluation of hearing protection device effectiveness for musicians [2023]

Details

• Personal Author:
  Anthony, T. Renée ; Crawford K ; Fleckenstein S ; Nothwehr F ; Willenbring K
• Description:
  Objective: To evaluate musicians' personal attenuation and perceptions of three types of hearing protection devices (HPDs): formable foam earplugs and both non-custom and custom versions of uniform attenuation earplugs (UAEs) marketed to musicians. Design: A mixed-methods approach was used to evaluate the HPDs. Audiometric testing obtained hearing levels at baseline and with each HPD across frequencies (125-8000 Hz) to determine personal attenuation ratings and uniformity of attenuation. Participants completed surveys over six months regarding how often they used the HPDs and their perceptions about wearing them. Study sample: Twenty-four musicians were recruited to participate. Results: Substantial variability was observed in the attenuation achieved among participants for each HPD type, but custom UAEs provided the most consistent attenuation across frequencies. Participants' HPD preferences were influenced by multiple factors including personal instrument and specific activity. Custom UAEs were most frequently used but usage rates continually decreased over the 6-month period. Conclusions: Fit-testing is important to determine fit and sizing. Combining information on the effectiveness of HPDs with musicians' opinions about wearing them can inform recommendations for which types may be the most effective and feasible options for reducing sound exposures. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Ear Hearing Hearing Loss Noise Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Protective Clothing Safety Sense Organs
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Audiometry; Hearing Conservation; Music Instructor; Earplugs; Attenuation Hearing Protection; Hearing Loss Prevention; Ear Protection; Musicians; Fit Testing; Auditory Protection; Audiometry; Personal Protective Equipment; PPE; Sound Attenuation;
• ISSN:
  1499-2027
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Iowa ; OSHA Region 7
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  238-244
• Volume:
  62
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20065496
• Citation:
  Int J Audiol 2023 Mar; 62(3):238-244
• Contact Point Address:
  Kathryn Crawford, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
• Email:
  kathryn-leonard@uiowa.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2023
• Performing Organization:
  University of Iowa
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  International Journal of Audiology
• End Date:
  20290630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8e84d792e694e48cfd75fe6380c8f0df496e472e94005752070b708dbcac61dcfd4457baddf0a66326ae913fe5166565d6b24763d80c65f89bf545c78753802d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/249458/cdc_249458_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.24 MB ]