Model for Estimating Life-Cycle Costs Associated with Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

This report documents the development of a method for estimating the total economic costs of exposing sailors to high level, steady-state occupational noise. The costs accrue from inclusion of the sailors in the Navy hearing conservation program (HCP) and as a result of noise induced hearing loss (N...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sachs, Felix Z, Weathersby, Paul K, Marshall, Lynne, Tufts, Jennifer
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
50518
AUDIOMETRY
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
DEAFNESS
ECONOMIC MODELS
Economics and Cost Analysis
ESTIMATES
HCP(HEARING CONSERVATION PROGRAM)
HEARING
LIFE CYCLE COSTS
Medical Facilities, Equipment and Supplies
Military Forces and Organizations
NAVAL PERSONNEL
NIHL(NOISE INDUCED HEARING LOSS)
NOISE(SOUND)
VETERANS BENEFITS
Online Access:Request full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This report documents the development of a method for estimating the total economic costs of exposing sailors to high level, steady-state occupational noise. The costs accrue from inclusion of the sailors in the Navy hearing conservation program (HCP) and as a result of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) sustained by the sailor. Calculation of associated economic costs requires a number of estimates and assumptions, which are provided by military audiologists and other practitioners in the Army, Navy and Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). Based on 2004 values, Navy hearing conservation program costs were determined to be $91.25 for an annual audiometric test plus $12.21 for program overhead per sailor, or more if an apparent hearing loss was detected. Specialty referrals and hearing aids for active duty sailors cost an average of $440.03 per sailor annually for this population. The medical and compensation costs of the VA system were more difficult to capture in a simple model. Prepared in cooperation with U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. Prepared in collaboration with University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT. The original document contains color images.