Assessment of the proposed Draft American National Standard method for evaluating the effectiveness of hearing conservation programs.
Using audiometric data, this study assessed the Draft American National Standard ANSI S12.13-1991 (DANS) method for evaluating the effectiveness of hearing conservation programs by comparing it against a standard epidemiologic method. Although the hearing conservation program of the study population was rated as "acceptable" (scale: acceptable, marginal, unacceptable) using the DANS method, the epidemiologic method found a 130% increased risk of hearing loss (relative risk = 2.3, 95% confidence interval = 0.8 to 6.5). In addition, study workers who were excluded from analyses for failing to comply with the DANS criteria were found to be at significantly increased risk of hearing loss (relative risk = 9.1, 95% confidence interval = 3.4 to 24.2). These data indicate that the DANS method may overestimate the effectiveness of hearing conservation programs and systematically exclude workers at high risk of hearing loss from analyses.
Adera
T
T
Uniformed Services University, Health Sciences Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, Bethesda, Maryland 20814-4799.
Donahue
A M
AM
Malit
B D
BD
Gaydos
J C
JC
D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004430:Ear Protective Devices; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*