November 2000
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New Press
States Respond to Rural Outreach Effort
The Nebraska ETV and NETV2 networks, a service of Nebraska Educational Telecommunications, aired "Deafening Sound," a one-hour program featuring interviews with hearing specialists and profiles of musicians, technicians, and young people who enjoy loud sound. An interview with H.E.A.R.'s Kathy Peck was a highlight of the program. The program debuted on November 21 at 7 p.m. CT and was rebroadcast four times this month. Part of the program looks at the movement to educate the public about the hazards of noise exposure and ways to protect hearing. NETV got a copy of our press release promoting our WISE EARS!® rural outreach effort and called to request WISE EARS!® resource packets for Nebraska viewers who participated in a live half-hour call-in program following the first showing. The response to the packets was overwhelming and another shipment of materials was requested. Nebraska Educational Telecommunications programs include a variety of lifelong learning shows, such as craft, how-to, and travel programs, in addition to news and legislative coverage.
The Connecticut State Office of Rural Health published an article on the WISE EARS!® campaign in its first newsletter this October. The newsletter was sent to 400 local health directors, rural health clinics, area health education centers, rural hospital administrators, directors of nursing, rural visiting nurse associations, home care associations, as well as local, Federal, and state representatives, senators, and congresspersons. The office collects and disseminates information regarding rural health issues in the state and is located at Northwestern Connecticut Community College.
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New Activities
NIDCD Gets New Web Site Address
Change your bookmarks! The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders has changed its web site address. The new address is www.nidcd.nih.gov. This change makes our web site address consistent with other Institutes across the National Institutes of Health. Visitors who go to the old web site will automatically be transferred to the new site address in 10 seconds.
WISE EARS!® Materials Update
The WISE EARS!® flyer is available in Spanish at www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/wiseears_span.asp. In addition, WISE EARS!® articles in Spanish are being published across the country. We should be able to provide you with the circulation information on this outreach effort in a few months.
WISE EARS!® materials were disseminated at the American Academy of Pediatrics annual meeting, the American Public Health Association (APHA) annual meeting, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association annual convention, and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society national conference. At APHA, WISE EARS!® and the coalition members were highlighted on two panels: one on the new Vision and Hearing chapter of Healthy People 2010 and the other for the Latino/Latina Caucus featuring our outreach to Hispanic and Latino/Latina communities.
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New Partners
WISE EARS!® Welcomes the Indian Health Service
The NIDCD is collaborating with the Indian Health Service (IHS) to reduce the incidence of NIHL by encouraging the use of appropriate hearing protection devices, equipment, and practices among American Indians and Alaska Natives. The IHS is the principal Federal health care provider and health advocate for these individuals and works to ensure that comprehensive, culturally acceptable personal and public health services are available and accessible. As part of their collaboration with WISE EARS!®, IHS is sending packets of WISE EARS!® information and materials to IHS health educators, sending out a press release, and assisting with initiating communication between NIDCD and other Indian organizations. A WISE EARS!® exhibit was featured at an employee health fair at IHS this month.
Starkey Hearing Foundation Is a New WISE EARS!® Partner
The Starkey Hearing Foundation sponsors a domestic program, called HEAR NOW, that provides hearing aids to people with limited financial resources. They are also involved in increasing public awareness of the need for available and affordable assistive technology for people with hearing loss.
American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Joins WISE EARS!®
The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses is a professional association for registered nurses who provide on-the-job health care for the nation's workers. The association has 175 state, local, and regional chapters across the nation that work to advance the profession of occupational and environmental health nursing by providing information on health, safety, productivity, and disability management for worker populations. There are more than 12,500 members across the country.
WISE EARS!® Welcomes Associates in Acoustics, Inc.
This company is a professional consulting firm that specializes in industrial noise measurement, engineering noise control, and hearing conservation programs.
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News From You
Dangerous Decibels Launches Oregon Initiative
Two WISE EARS!® coalition members are part of an educational partnership designed to significantly reduce the prevalence of preventable hearing loss in children and teens. Oregon Health Sciences University's Hearing Research Center and the American Tinnitus Association are working with several other organizations on a project called Dangerous Decibels: Partnerships in Public Health. Other partners include the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland Veterans Administration Medical Center, and Oregon-Southwest Washington elementary and secondary schools.
The project will involve hearing science exhibits and hearing loss research at the museum, classroom presentations and research in 6 pilot schools, and the development of a hearing science and hearing loss prevention-education program for regional public schools. The 5-year, $1.2 million grant is being funded by the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) at the National Institutes of Health through a Science Education Partnership Award. These awards encourage active biomedical and/or behavioral scientists to work as partners with educators, media experts, community leaders, and other interested organizations on projects to improve student and public understanding of the health sciences. The NCRR encourages domestic organizations that have a scientific and/or educational mission to submit grant applications. To learn more, contact Dr. Robert F. Hendrickson at NCRR at (301) 435-0760.
The House Ear Institute's (HEI) Sound Partner Conservation program had a significant impact at the 109th Audio Engineering Society Convention in Los Angeles on September 22-25. Hearing screening was provided for over 500 individuals. About 4,000 earplugs were distributed to sound professionals along with literature on hearing conservation and protection. HEI staff participated in a workshop that addressed hearing health issues for audio and music industry professions. HEI was also included on the Society's special event tours and 25 people visited their facility. For more information call (213) 483-4431.
The World Health Organization Community Noise Guidelines
are now available in final form at www.who.int/docstore/peh/noise/guidelines2.html.
Included in the guidelines is information on measurement issues,
adverse health effects, guideline values, and noise management.
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) recently published a 16-page booklet on "Classroom Acoustics--A Resource for Creating Learning Environments With Desirable Listening Conditions." The publication may be useful for architects, educators, and school planners who are constructing or renovating learning environments. Contact the ASA office at (516) 576-2360 or visit their web site at asa.aip.org for more details.
This month, a CD titled, "H.E.A.R. THIS" was released worldwide to benefit Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers (H.E.A.R.). The CD on Sub City Records features several well-known alternative bands including Shonen Knife, The Avengers, Scared of Chaka, The Contractions, The Bellrays, and actor Peter Coyote, along with 22 other bands. Also, Mike Sugarman of Evening Magazine KPIX TV-5 interviewed audiologist Mont Stong and Kathy Peck, executive director of H.E.A.R., along with H.E.A.R. volunteers passing out earplugs in the clubs. H.E.A.R. is a non-profit grassroots health organization working to prevent hearing loss among musicians and music fans. For information, call (415) 409-EARS or (415) 409-LOUD.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) spotlighted newer WISE EARS!® efforts in its new "Audiology in ASHA: Our Year in Review." Efforts noted were in rural health, with Girl Scouts and 4-Hers, as well as materials available in Spanish. For more information on the new ASHA publication, call (301) 897-5700. Thanks, partners!
For more information, contact the NIDCD Information Clearinghouse.
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