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Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a Brazilian version of the Dangerous Decibels® educational program in increasing students’ knowledge and positively changing their attitudes and intended behaviors related to NIHL prevention and to decrease exposures to loud sounds and the barriers related to hearing protective strategies (HPS). Design: This is a prospective longitudinal controlled study. Study sample: Third to fifth graders (n = 220) filled out a baseline questionnaire; participated in a 60 minutes Dangerous Decibels® classroom presentation; answered a follow-up questionnaire immediately after the presentation; worked with their teachers on an activity booklet about hearing health ten weeks later; and filled out a three-months follow-up questionnaire. Students that did not receive health hearing education served as a control group (n = 51). A mixed analysis of variance was performed, with time as the within-subjects independent variable, and the intervention as the between-subjects independent variable. Results: The study group exhibited significant short- and long-term improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and intended behavior related to NIHL and acoustic trauma prevention, and in decreased exposures to loud sounds and barriers to the use of hearing protective strategies. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the effectiveness of a Brazilian version of the Dangerous Decibels classroom program with an additional supplementary workbook intervention.
Declaration of interest: We report no declarations of interest.
Source of support: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa de São Paulo (Fapesp 2009/15825-0). The funding organization had no role in the design and conduct of the study; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data; or in the preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript. Presentation at a meeting: This study was presented at the 38th National Hearing Conservation Association Annual Hearing Conference, in St. Petersburg, Florida, on 02/26/ 2013, under the title “Effectiveness of a Brazilian Version of the ‘Dangerous Decibels’ Educational Program?”