Effects of pre-existing hearing loss and gender on proposed ANSI S12.13 outcomes for characterizing hearing conservation program effectiveness: preliminary investigation

Abstract

Draft American National Standard "Evaluating the Effectiveness of Hearing Conservation Programs" identifies potentially important links between audiometric threshold variability outcomes and occupational hearing conservation program (HCP) practices. Unacceptable threshold variability in annual audiograms may identify poor testing practices and temporary threshold shifts. This preliminary investigation reveals pre-existing hearing loss to be a potentially important confounding viable to interpreting ANSI S12.13 outcomes. Poor hearing groups in this study consistently yielded greater threshold variability (i.e., "poorer" HCP performance) than better hearing groups. Gender may also be a confounding variable, however, to a far lesser degree. HCP managers should exercise caution when interpreting relative ANSI S12.13 outcomes among HCPs differing in baseline hearing sensitivity. Potential causes for these findings are discussed, and implications for future research are identified.