LONG TERM OBJECTIVE: PREVENTION OF NOISE-INDUCED HEARING LOSS THROUGH DEVELOPMENT OF AN INSTRUMENT FOR WORKSITE MEASUREMENT OF TRUE EFFECTIVENESS OF INSERT TYPE HEARING PROTECTION DEVICES (HPD'S) "AS WORN".

LONG TERM OBJECTIVE: PREVENTION OF NOISE-INDUCED HEARING LOSS THROUGH DEVELOPMENT OF AN INSTRUMENT FOR WORKSITE MEASUREMENT OF TRUE EFFECTIVENESS OF INSERT TYPE HEARING PROTECTION DEVICES (HPD'S) "AS WORN". SPECIFIC AIMS: 1) DETERMINE OPTIMUM SUPRATHRESHOLD METHOD FOR MEASURING, IN HIGH AMBIENT NOISE, ATTENUATION OF HPD'S; 2) INCORPORATE THIS METHOD INTO PROTOTYPE INSTRUMENT FOR OPERATION AT THE WORKSITE BY UNSOPHISTICATED TESTING PERSONNEL; 3) ESTABLISH INSTRUMENT'S TECHNICAL MERIT AND GATHER PERFORMANCE DATE FOR PHASE II DEVELOPMENT OF MARKETABLE TEST INSTRUMENT. METHODOLOGY: 1) DEVELOP COMPUTERIZED LABORATORY INSTRUMENTATATION FOR PRESENTING DIVERSE AUDITORY STIMULI AND RECORDING SUBJECT RESPONSES. 2) PROGRAM INSTRUMENTATION TO PROVIDE VARIOUS SUPRATHRESHOLD TESTS FOR EVALUATING HPD'S AS WORN. 30 EVALUATE TESTS FOR DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY, VALIDITY, RELIABILITY, AND TEST INTEGRITY IN ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE. 4) BUILD PROTOTYPE PORTABLE FIELD TEST INSTRUMENT INCORPORATINGMOST SATISFACTORY TEST METHOD AND INSTRUMENT CONFIGURATION. 5) CONFIRM, IN LABORATORY, VALIDITY OF THE RESULTS OBTAINED WITH THE PROTOTYPE INSTRUMENT BY C COMPARISON WITH RESULTS CONCURRENTLY OBTAINED BY STANDARD METHODS AND INSTRUMENTATION. 6) CONDUCT INITIAL FIELD TEST-ING OF THE PROTOTYPE INSTRUMENT TO ESTABLISH IT FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY AT THE WORKSITE. HEALTH IMPLICATIONS: BY FAR, THE MOST COMMON SOURCE OF COMMUNICATIVE DISORDERS BELOW AGE 60, IS NOISE-INDUCED HE HEARING LOSS. INCORRECTLY FITTED HPD'S ARE PLACING A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF NOIS-EXPOSED WORKERS AT RISK, THUS A NEED EXISTS FOR A MEANS OF MEASURING THE TRUE ATTENUATION OF THESE DEVICES IN THE FIELD. COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: THIS INSTRUMENT COULD BE USED IN APPROXIMATELY 59,000 U.S. INDUSTRIAL PLANTS.