Background


 * Background:

- PREVALENCE >> - DEFINITIONS
 * Hearing loss is one of Australia’s most common forms of impairment (Wilson et al. 1999) yet it is considerably under diagnosed (Chung, Des Roches, Meunier, & Eavey, 2005), either due to the sufferer’s lack of knowledge towards the risks, lack of personal awareness in regards to current conditions of the sufferer’s own hearing, low personal restraints in minimising or dampening contact with exposure based risk factors (Vogel, Brug, Hosli, Van Der Ploeg, & Raat, 2007). As found in Wilson et al. (1999), at least 16.6% of South Australians have a hearing impairment in their better ear, which (to a degree) reflects the prevalence of hearing loss in Britain. The concern of under-diagnosis has become the main concern for the current study.

>> >> - CAUSES
 * The current scale development study is mainly concerned with exposure-related hearing loss, which is defined by the damage of sensitive inner ear components due to the exposure to harmful (normally loud) noises (“Noise- Induced Hearing Lost”, 2012). It is important to differentiate this form of hearing loss compared to other causes such as medicinal side effects, illnesses, genetic pre-dispositions, or physical traumas, whereby hearing is not generally damaged via occupational or lifestyle choices. Exposure-related damage normally leads to permanent hearing loss (Havard Medical School Center for Heditary Deafness, 2004), which will directly lead to a decrease of quality in life (EHS Today, 2011).

>> >> In relation to the current study, it would be difficult to assess the risks of “one-time exposures to loud sounds”, but it is believed that a person’s level of care in regards to self protection would contribute to the un-likelihood of being harmed by such an exposure. >> >> According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (2008), sounds within the range of 120 to 150 decibels (e.g. small firearms, firecrackers) can cause rather speedy damages, whereas constant exposure to sounds at or above 85 decibels (e.g. heavy traffic, lawn mowing) is enough to cause hearing loss. In short, the louder the sound, the shorter time is required to achieve hearing loss (Safe Work SA, 2008).
 * Exposure-related hearing loss can be caused by: (1) prolonged exposure to harmful sounds either from the work place, or from the person’s own recreational or daily exposures (Patel & Ingel, 2008; Daniel, 2007), for example: the increased use of portable music players; operating heavy machinery at work/home; personal neglect of protecting hearing in loud environments such as rock concerts; (2) a one-time exposure to a loud sound (e.g. an explosion next to the ear).

- DIRECT IMPACTS FROM HEARING LOSS

>>
 * The impacts that hearing loss can have on the lives of those affected can be very detrimental. There are psychological health concerns (“Untreated Hearing Loss Can Lead to Depression in Elders”, 1999;), cognitive impairments (Kujala & Braticc0, 2009), and higher costs of living due to medical costs (EHS Today, 2011). Other indirect affects could be a loss of employment opportunities, increased possibilities of workplace/home accidents or increased absenteeism and performances for employers (SafeWork SA, 2008).

- AIMS:


 * To elaborate the aim mentioned in the opening paragraph, the aims of the current scale development study is to develop a simple and cheap questionnaire that assesses: (1) possible current hearing loss, and (2) risk factors for potential future hearing loss. The measures developed are aimed to capture the scope of exposure the users are to different risk factors, their level of self-protection against such factors as well as their current hearing conditions. Ultimately, the questionnaire acts as a screening tool for users, alerting them if further investigation or assistance is required.