Test of Hearing Health Education Programs for Farm and Rural Youth
Condition: Noise-induced Hearing Loss
MeSH terms: Hearing Loss; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      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 (NIHL). There
      is a lack of programs to prepare this high-risk population to use hearing conservation
      strategies. This randomly-controlled trial of innovative community-based interventions is
      designed to compare effectiveness and sustainability of approaches to increase youths' use of
      hearing conservation strategies. Consistent use of hearing conservation strategies is
      expected to reduce rates of NIHL and other negative effects of high noise exposure, and
      improve quality of life in this high-risk and underserved group.
    

Detailed description: 
      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., all-terrain vehicles 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 be 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 under-served 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
      research-to-practice 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.
    

Intervention name(s): Interactive youth educational program; Internet-based educational booster
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Participation in a community-based face-to-face interactive youth educational program focusing on hearing health (i.e., noise hazards, risk of noise-induced hearing loss, mechanism of injury to the internal ear, and preventive measures); Visit to an educational Web site focused on hearing health
Other intervention name(s): Progressive Agriculture Foundation Safety Days; Dangerous Decibels Virtual Exhibit
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention