Tomah Hearing Loss Prevention Outreach

Evidence-level

Promising (About evidence-level criteria)

Description

Faculty and graduate students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders developed an initiative to reach out to rural farmers and tractor pull fans on the issue of permanent hearing loss. An audiology team attended the Tomah Tractor Pull annually from 2014 to 2019, in order to hand out hearing protection and educate the attendees and participants, particularly farmers, on the risks of prolonged, unprotected exposure to high-decibel noises coming from tractors, other loud machinery, and even livestock.

This outreach was supported by a mini-grant from the Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment, several Wisconsin Idea grants, and the UW Speech and Hearing Clinic.

Services offered

A team of two audiology clinical professors (audiologists) and audiology graduate students talked with tractor pull attendees, participants, and workers about healthy hearing habits and distributed hearing protection at this very loud event.

The grant money allowed the team to purchase an audiometer and calibrated sound level meter, which enabled them to measure the sound levels of the trucks and tractors throughout the event. This helped raise awareness of hearing loss by showing this visual display of high-decibel activity to the attendees and educating people on what decibel levels call for ear protection.

Results

This program accomplished two goals:

• Gave an immediate means of hearing protection (earplugs) to people at risk for hearing loss
• Educated attendees on ways to prevent permanent, noise-induced hearing loss

Program staff also informed the tractor pull attendees on the cumulative nature of hearing and the precautions one should take to protect hearing, even at an older age, to prevent further damage.

For more information on the audiology team's successful efforts:

Buhr-Lawler, M. (2017). A Hearing Loss Prevention Outreach Program for Farmers and Motorsports Enthusiasts. Seminars in Hearing, 38(2), 212-222.

Challenges

There is an ingrained cultural attitude among tractor pull attendees that discourages the use of hearing protection in this environment. Additionally, many of the attendees experience high levels of noise exposure in their work and other recreational activities. Most farmers are not required to participate in a mandatory hearing loss prevention program, so there are many at the tractor pull who have not considered using hearing protection as an important safety factor.

Replication

Program coordinators recommend securing grant funding or financial support and a supportive employer. It's also important to establish a community partnership with the event organizers, since their support is invaluable in guaranteeing program success, and to have energetic and willing volunteers.

Contact Information

Melanie Buhr-Lawler, Au.D., CCC-A, Clinical Professor of Audiology
University of Wisconsin-Madison
UW Speech and Hearing Clinic
608.890.1504
melanie.buhr@wisc.edu