A review on the effectiveness of hearing conservation programme among noise-exposed employees

Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) has been regarded as a significant occupational health problem and it is increasing throughout the industrial world. To minimize the occurrence of NIHL among noise-exposed employees, hearing conservation programme (HCP) has been introduced. In this paper, the essential aspects of NIHL are reviewed as intended. Important considerations regarding the implementation of HCP including the barriers are highlighted accordingly. Based on the existing literature, more research efforts are required to support and promote the widespread implementation of HCP among industrial players. Furthermore, studying the effectiveness of dedicated training modules in HCP involving employees using various teaching methods can be the focus of future research

The Normative Data for Sensorineural Acuity Level (SAL) Test among Young Adults: Comparisons Between B71 and B81 Bone Transducers

Introduction: The sensorineural acuity level (SAL) test is a valuable clinical assessment for hearing diagnosis, especially when the results of pure tone audiometry (PTA) are incomplete or questionable. Nevertheless, the literature on the SAL test is extremely limited and more research efforts are warranted to promote the application of this test in clinical settings. Essentially, the aim of the present study was to compare the normative data for the SAL test between two different bone vibrators (Radioear B71 and Radioear B81) among Malaysian participants. Materials and Methods: Forty-two healthy Malaysian adults (aged 19 to 27 years) participated in this repeated-measures study. The PTA and SAL test was carried out according to the recommended protocols. The SAL normative data produced by the two bone transducers were then compared at different frequencies. Paired t-test and Bayesian inference were used for data analyses. Results: The normative data for the SAL test gathered in the present study were descriptively higher than those reported among Caucasian adults. Relative to the Radioear B81 bone vibrator, the SAL normative data were significantly higher for the Radioear B71 bone transducer at all tested frequencies (p < 0.001, BF10 ≥ 48.67). Conclusions: The SAL normative data established by the two bone vibrators are statistically different. This information would be beneficial to provide clinicians with appropriate normative data when performing the SAL test on Malaysian patients

Occupational noise management: A preliminary study on compliance with hearing conservation programme in Malaysia’s manufacturing industry

Occupational noise hazards are one of the most common workplace safety concerns. Prolonged exposure to loud noise without adequate hearing protection can result in either temporary or permanent hearing loss. Using data collected from a sample of 27 safety officers from manufacturing companies in Malaysia, the present study aimed to examine the implementation of occupational noise management in Malaysia’s industry by evaluating their compliance with elements of hearing conservation programme (HCP). The results showed only 67% of the companies had a noise control policy despite the noise levels reported exceeding the permissible exposure level. Hearing protection device (HPD) usage was reported by most of the companies indicating their awareness towards danger posed by high noise levels. While international companies indicated greater compliance with appropriate occupational noise management practice, small and locally owned companies lagged behind and may require further guidance and assistance in implementing a better occupational noise management programme. Additionally, the present study found that the level of occupational noise awareness among the management of locally owned companies was low. This finding requires attention from policy makers with regard to the importance of regular checks and enforcement of noise regulations in the industry

Malay-translated version and content validation of parent goals for shared reading questionnaire

The interaction between adults and children during shared reading contributes to the conversation and reading in hand and makes the activity interactive. It is, therefore, imperative to understand parents’ goals for shared reading with their children as it will influence their behaviour and, in turn, affect their children’s development of language and literacy skills. In Malaysia, no local psychometric instrument identifying parent goals for shared reading is available. This study aims to translate the English version of the Parent Goals for Shared Reading Questionnaire (PGSRQ) into Malay and validate the translated questionnaire. Four qualified translators carried out the translation processes, and a panel of eight experts subsequently validated the Malay-translated version of PGSRQ. Of 33 items, the validation assessment revealed that 17 items had a content validity ratio (CVR) value of 1.0, while 12 items had a CVR value of 0.8. Only four items had a CVR value lower than 0.78 and were retranslated and modified. The findings of this study can pave the way for more research efforts in the field of shared reading in Malaysia. The questionnaire can also assist a speech therapist in assessing the goals that parents have on shared reading to come up with better designs for shared book reading intervention

Development and Validation of a Virtual Moving Auditory Localization (vMAL) Test among Healthy Children

Introduction: The ability to localize sound sources is crucial for humans. Due to specific hearing disorders, the affected individuals may have problems to accurately locate the sound sources, leading to other unwanted consequences. Nevertheless, a simple auditory localization test (that employs moving auditory stimuli) is currently lacking in clinical settings. Essentially, the objectives of the present study were to develop a virtual moving auditory localization (vMAL) test that is suitable for assessing children and assess the validity and the reliability of this test. Materials and Methods: This study consisted of two consecutive phases. In phase 1, the required stimulus and the test set up for the vMAL test were established. Two loudspeakers were employed to produce five virtual positions, and eight different moving conditions were constructed. In phase 2, 24 normal-hearing Malaysian children (aged 7-12 years) underwent the vMAL test. The validity and the reliability of this test were then assessed using several validation measures. Fleiss Kappa and Spearman correlation analyses were used to analyse the obtained data. Results: The vMAL test was found to have good convergent validity (kappa = 0.64) and good divergent validity (kappa = -0.06). Based on the item-total correlation and Spearman coefficient rho results, this test was found to have good internal reliability (rho = 0.36-0.75) and excellent external (test-retest) reliability (rho = 0.99). Conclusions: in this study a new vMAL test was developed and proven to be valid and reliable accordingly for its intended applications. This test can be useful in clinical settings since it is simple to administer, cost-effective, does not take up much room, and can assess auditory localization performance in children. The outcomes of the present study may serve as preliminary normative data as well as guidelines for future auditory localization research

A preliminary content validity study of the Malay version of READI-SF

Readiness for treatment reflects the individual’s motivation to seek help and preparedness to engage in treatment activities. The READI-SF aimed to assess parental readiness to engage in treatment. The present study aimed to translate the English version of READI-SF into the Malay language and subsequently assess its content validity using the content validity ratio (CVR), content validity index (CVI) and modified kappa analyses. Four independent translators carried out the translation procedures. Eight clinical professionals were involved as content experts. Of 17 items, six items needed to be revised due to low CVR values (< 0.75). Based on unfavourable individual CVI (I-CVI) results (< 0.78), two items (for item relevancy) and six items (for item clarity) had to be modified. The overall CVI of the questionnaire (S-CVI) was found to be good (i.e., 0.91 for item relevancy and 0.83 for item clarity). Nine items needed to be revised, and the modifications were carried out accordingly. At the end of the study, a valid Malay-translated READI-SF was produced. It has good potential to serve as a clinical tool to assess the readiness of Malay-speaking parents to engage in treatment. However, prior to its intended clinical application, further research is warranted to assess other aspects of validity (e.g., face validity, construct validity, and criterion-related validity), as well as READI-SF reliability

Auditory brainstem response (ABR) findings in males and females with comparable head sizes at supra-threshold and threshold levels

Background and purpose: Gender disparities in auditory brainstem response (ABR) results have been reported but the exact reasons remain controversial. Difference in head size between genders has been suggested but the literature is lacking, particularly at threshold levels. In this short communication, we compared ABR results between males and females with comparable head sizes at supra-threshold and threshold levels. Materials and methods: In this comparative study, of 58 healthy young adults, 30 of them (17 females and 13 males) with comparable head sizes underwent the standard ABR testing. Wave V latencies and ABR thresholds were determined and analyzed accordingly. Results: At the supra-threshold level, significantly shorter wave V latencies were found in females than in males (p=0.029). This difference was substantive (d=0.86) and persisted even when the head size was included in the analysis (p=0.032). In contrast, no significant differences in ABR thresholds were found between genders (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Significant gender differences in ABR results among young adults were only found at the suprathreshold level, which were not related to the head size. Based on the study outcomes, gender-specific normative data for ABR are still beneficial for clinical applications, particularly when recording ABR at high stimulation levels

The effectiveness of Bisinglah, BEB! A classroom-based hearing conservation programme for youth

Similar to other developing countries, youths in Malaysia are at risk of suffering from noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) due to extreme leisure noise exposure. To minimize the incident of NIHL among youth, a Malay classroom-based hearing intervention programme known as Bisinglah, BEB! (in English: HEY! It’s Loud!) has been developed. The programme consists of five modules; i) Sound energy, ii) Anatomy and hearing mechanism, iii) Hearing loss, iv) Dangerous sound, and v) How to protect our ears. As such, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Bisinglah, BEB! programme in increasing youth’s knowledge and promoting a healthy hearing attitude towards noise. Eighty participants were assigned into two groups (intervention and control). All participants completed a set of questionnaires (Youth Attitude Towards Noise Scale-Malay, YANS-M and quiz) to measure their attitude and knowledge at baseline, 1-month and 3-month post-intervention sessions. Only participants in the intervention group filled in the post-immediate questionnaire after completing the intervention. It was found that gender did play a significant role in describing the participants’ attitude and knowledge towards the noise. The post-immediate measurement score for the intervention group exhibited a significant improvement compared to the baseline (p < 0.05). These improvements were maintained for at least three months after undergoing the programme. To conclude, the Bisinglah, BEB! programme was reasonably effective in encouraging healthy hearing attitudes and knowledge towards noise. However, further research is warranted to investigate the long-term effects of this programme involving larger youth samples in Malaysia