title: A systematic review of the interventions to promote the wearing of hearing protection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Noise-induced hearing loss can only be prevented by eliminating or lowering noise exposure levels. When the source of the noise cannot be eliminated, workers have to rely on hearing protection equipment. The aim here was to summarize the evidence for the effectiveness of interventions to enhance the wearing of hearing protection among workers exposed to noise in the workplace.
  
  
  METHODS
  Studies with random assignment were identified by an electronic search of the medical literature up to 2005. Data were double-entered into the Review Manager software, version 4.2.5.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two studies were found. A computer-based intervention tailored to individual workers risks and lasting 30 minutes was not found to be more effective than a video providing general information for workers. A second randomized controlled trial evaluated the effect of a four-year school-based hearing loss prevention program among schoolchildren working on their parents farms. The intervention group was twice as likely to wear some kind of hearing protection as was the control group (which received only minimal intervention). REVIEWERS CONCLUSIONS: The limited evidence does not show whether tailored interventions are more or less effective than general interventions among workers, 80% of whom already use hearing protection. Long-lasting school-based interventions may increase the use of hearing protection substantially. Better interventions to enhance the use of hearing protection need to be developed and evaluated in order to increase the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss among workers.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. re.lucci@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Regina Paolucci
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: El Dib
authors.forename: Alvaro Nagib
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Atallah
authors.forename: Régis Bruni
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Andriolo
authors.forename: Bernardo Garcia de Oliveira
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Jos
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verbeek
mesh_terms: D004430:Ear Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D017132:Workplace