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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Increase the proportion of adults who use hearing protection devices around loud sounds — HOSCD‑08 Data Methodology and Measurement

On this page:  About the National Data  |  Methodology  |  History

About the National Data

Data

Data Source:  National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), CDC/NCHS

Baseline: 66.8 percent of adults aged 20 to 69 years used hearing protection devices (i.e., earplugs, noise muffs (earmuffs), ear canal caps, or helmets) when exposed to loud sounds or music in 2015-16

Target: 71.4 percent

Numerator
Number of adults aged 20 to 69 years who use hearing protection devices (earplugs, noise muffs (earmuffs), ear canal caps, or helmet) at least half the time when exposed to loud sounds or music.
Denominator
Number of adults aged 20 to 69 years who have been exposed to loud sounds or music (i.e., used firearms and/or had work or non-work exposure to loud sounds or music).
Target-setting method
Minimal statistical significance
Target-setting method details
Minimal statistical significance, assuming the same standard error for the target as for the baseline.
Target-setting method justification
Trend data were not available for this objective. The standard error was used to calculate a target based on minimal statistical significance, assuming the same standard error for the target as for the baseline. This method was used because it was a statistically significant improvement from the baseline and the Healthy People 2030 Workgroup Subject Matter Experts expected the data to be difficult to change.

Methodology

Questions used to obtain the national baseline data

(For additional information, please visit the data source page linked above.)

From the 2015-16 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey:

Numerator:
How often {did you/did SP} wear hearing protection devices (ear plugs, ear muffs) when shooting firearms?
  1. ALWAYS
  2. USUALLY
  3. ABOUT HALF THE TIME
  4. SELDOM
  5. Never
  6. Refused
  7. Don't know
In the past 12 months, how often {did you/did SP} wear hearing protection devices (ear plugs, ear muffs) when exposed to very loud sounds or noise outside of work? {Do not include the noise from firearms we already talked about.}
  1. ALWAYS
  2. USUALLY
  3. ABOUT HALF THE TIME
  4. SELDOM
  5. NEVER
  6. NO NOISE EXPOSURE IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS
  7. Refused
  8. Don't know
During the past 12 months at {your/SP's} job as a(n) {OCCUPATION} for {EMPLOYER}, how often {do you/does SP} wear protective hearing devices?
  1. ALWAYS
  2. USUALLY
  3. ABOUT HALF THE TIME
  4. SELDOM
  5. NEVER
  6. NO NOISE EXPOSURE IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS
  7. Refused
  8. Don't know
Numerator and Denominator:
This next question is about {your/SP's} use of firearms that {you/he/she} may have used for target shooting, hunting, for {your/his/her} job or in military service. Firearms include pistols, shotguns, rifles, and other types of guns. Do not include BB or pellet guns. {Have you/Has SP} ever used firearms for any reason?
  1. YES
  2. NO
  3. Refused
  4. Don't know

These next questions are about noise exposure at work. First, we are going to ask about loud noise. Loud means so loud that {you/s/he} must speak in a raised voice to be heard by someone three feet away when not using hearing protection. After that we will ask about very loud noise. Very loud noise is noise that is so loud {you have/he has/she has} to shout in order to be understood by someone standing 3 feet away from {you/him/her} when not using hearing protection.

{Have you/Has SP} ever had a job, or combination of jobs where {you were/s/he was} exposed to loud sounds or noise for 4 or more hours a day, several days a week?
  1. YES
  2. NO
  3. NEVER WORKED
  4. Refused
  5. Don't know
In {your/SP's} work {were you/was he/was she} exposed to very loud noise? (Very loud noise is noise that is so loud {you have/he has/she has} to shout in order to be understood by someone standing 3 feet away from {you/him/her}.)
  1. YES
  2. NO
  3. NEVER WORKED
  4. Refused
  5. Don't know
Outside of a job, {have you/has SP} ever been exposed to very loud noise or music for 10 or more hours a week? This is noise so loud that {you have/s/he has} to shout to be understood or heard 3 feet away. Examples are noise from power tools, lawn mowers, farm machinery, cars, trucks, motorcycles, motor boats or loud music.
  1. YES
  2. Refused
  3. Don't know

These next questions are about noise at work. First, we are going to ask about loud noise. Loud means so loud that {you/s/he} must speak in a raised voice to be heard by someone three feet away when not using hearing protection. After that we will ask about very loud noise. Very loud noise is noise that is so loud {you have/he has/she has} to shout to be heard by someone three feet away when not using hearing protection.

How many days per month {are you/is SP} usually exposed to loud noise at {your/his/her} job as a(n) {OCCUPATION} for {EMPLOYER}?
  1. _______ ENTER NUMBER OF DAYS
  2. Refused
  3. Don't know
How many days per month {are you/is SP} usually exposed to very loud noise at {your/his/her} job as a(n) {OCCUPATION} for {EMPLOYER}? (Very loud noise is noise that is so loud {you have/he has/she has} to shout to be heard by someone three feet away when not using hearing protection.)
  1. _______ ENTER NUMBER OF DAYS
  2. Refused
  3. Don't know

Methodology notes

"Regular use" of hearing protection devices (earplugs, earmuffs) means use of these devices at least half the time when exposed to loud sounds or music.

Age-adjustment notes

This Indicator uses Age-Adjustment Groups:

  • Total: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69
  • Sex: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69
  • Race/Ethnicity: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69
  • Educational Attainment: 25-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69
  • Family Income (percent poverty threshold): 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69
  • Country of Birth: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69
  • Activity limitations: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69
  • Health Insurance Status: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69
  • Marital Status: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69

History

Comparable HP2020 objective
Retained, which includes core objectives that are continuing from Healthy People 2020 with no change in measurement.