Volume 116
June 15, 2022
  • Summer Fun (With concerns)
  • SPF Protection
  • Preventable Hearing Loss
  • Noteworthy Statistics
  • Industrial Exposures
  • Organs of Corti

With Spring in full bloom and summer vacation season gearing up, outside activities gain popularity, including walks in the woods, poolside fun and naps on the beach. While sunshine brings warmth, dermatologists urgently shine light on skin cancer-related risks in the heat of the day. Did You Know according to the American Cancer Society…?

“Cancer of the skin is by far the most common of all cancers. Melanoma accounts for only about 1% of skin cancers but causes a large majority of skin cancer deaths.” They estimate that in the United States in 2022:

  • “About 99,780 new melanomas will be diagnosed (about 57,180 in men and 42,600 in women).
  • “About 7,650 people are expected to die of melanoma (about 5,080 men and 2,570 women).” 1

1 https://www.cancer.org/cancer/melanoma-skin-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
Sunscreen anyone... with the ideal Sun Protection Factor (SPF)? When growing up and spending time outdoors, I was unaware what SPF was, nor its importance. With 20/20 hindsight, if my generation knew then what we know now, we might have safely protected ourselves from harmful rays.

Having foresight that thoughtful protection matters, what do 4th of July celebrations, rock concerts and lawn mowing have in common? Each of these acoustic environments can be quite noisy.
Led by Better Hearing, Better Community objectives, in addition to promoting your subject matter expertise on hearing-related comorbidities, it is crucial to proactively spread the word on the ONLY type of hearing loss that is highly preventable, Noise-Induced Hearing Loss or NIHL.

From a soundscape perspective, which lifestyle setting comparatively presents more NIHL risks?
This National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders data is noteworthy:

“Based on a 2011–2012 CDC study involving hearing tests and interviews with participants, at least 10 million adults (6 percent) in the U.S. under age 70—and perhaps as many as 40 million adults (24 percent)—have features of their hearing test that suggest hearing loss in one or both ears from exposure to loud noise. Researchers have also estimated that as many as 17 percent of teens (ages 12 to 19) have features of their hearing test suggestive of NIHL in one or both ears (Pediatrics 2011), based on data from 2005-2006.” 2
To exemplify industrial exposures, the CDC reports:

  • “About 51% of all workers in Construction have been exposed to hazardous noise.
  • 52% of noise-exposed Construction workers report not wearing hearing protection.
  • About 25% of noise-exposed tested Construction workers have a material hearing impairment.
  • 16% of noise-exposed tested Construction workers have hearing impairment in both ears.” 3
2 https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/noise-induced-hearing-loss
3 https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ohl/construction.html

With public health initiatives aiming to encourage wellness and decrease chronic disease incidence rates, the ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure mantra speaks volumes. If you asked 100 of your customers to explain what a decibel is or how excess noise exposure damages the ear’s delicate structures and sound relay mechanisms, would you expect well-informed responses? If not, then at home, work and play, consider what risks they take every day.

In fairness, how can we expect them to be tuned in to evidence-based prevention needs if sound advice is not effectively conveyed? To influence individual behavior change, the facts must be heard.
These schematic images present an interesting reference of normal and damaged organs of Corti based upon the actual microscopic appearance of the hearing organ.4 In a clockwise fashion, with normal hearing as baseline, a damaging progression from mild to moderate-severe and profound hearing loss is neatly illustrated. Please take a closer look.


4 Photoshop drawings by Dr. Barbara A. Bohne and Mr. Gary W. Harding, Washington University in St. Louis | Department of Otolaryngology

During the season when Independence Day is celebrated, we must educate those entrusted in our care to better understand how to free themselves from Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. While fireworks are once a year, preserving healthy hearing should be their daily pursuit.

Starting next week, we will detail useful ideas on how to make healthy awareness waves doing so.
Bruce Essman
CEO
High Definition Impressions (HDI)



314.276.7392

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