Department of Communication Sciences, University of Connecticut, 850 Bolton Road, Unit 1085, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
Scand J Work Environ Health. 2010 May;36(3):242-9. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.2911. Epub 2010 Mar 26.
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the feasibility and utility of developing economic cost models for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). First, we outline an economic model of NIHL for a population of US Navy sailors with an "industrial"-type noise exposure. Next, we describe the effect on NIHL-related cost of varying the two central model inputs--the noise-exposure level and the duration of exposure. Such an analysis can help prioritize promising areas, to which limited resources to reduce NIHL-related costs should be devoted.
NIHL-related costs borne by the US government were computed on a yearly basis using a finite element approach that took into account varying levels of susceptibility to NIHL. Predicted hearing thresholds for the population were computed with ANSI S3.44-1996 and then used as the basis for the calculation of NIHL-related costs. Annual and cumulative costs were tracked. Noise-exposure level and duration were systematically varied to determine their effects on the expected lifetime NIHL-related cost of a specific US Navy sailor population.
Our nominal noise-exposure case [93 dB(A) for six years] yielded a total expected lifetime cost of US $13,472 per sailor, with plausible lower and upper bounds of US $2,500 and US $26,000. Starting with the nominal case, a decrease of 50% in exposure level or duration would yield cost savings of approximately 23% and 19%, respectively. We concluded that a reduction in noise level would be more somewhat more cost-effective than the same percentage reduction in years of exposure.
Our economic cost model can be used to estimate the changes in NIHL-related costs that would result from changes in noise-exposure level and/or duration for a single military population. Although the model is limited at present, suggestions are provided for adapting it to civilian populations.
本文旨在展示为美国海军水手这一具有“工业”噪声暴露人群建立噪声性听力损失（NIHL）经济成本模型的可行性和实用性。首先，我们概述了一个用于美国海军水手人群的 NIHL 经济模型，该模型具有“工业”类型的噪声暴露。其次，我们描述了两个核心模型输入（噪声暴露水平和暴露持续时间）的变化对 NIHL 相关成本的影响。这种分析可以帮助确定优先领域，将有限的资源用于降低与 NIHL 相关的成本。
我们使用有限元方法，根据美国政府每年承担的与 NIHL 相关的成本进行计算，该方法考虑了对 NIHL 易感性的不同程度。使用 ANSI S3.44-1996 计算人群的预测听力阈值，然后将其作为计算与 NIHL 相关的成本的基础。跟踪了年度和累积成本。系统地改变噪声暴露水平和持续时间，以确定它们对特定美国海军水手人群预期终身与 NIHL 相关的成本的影响。
我们的名义噪声暴露案例[93 dB（A），持续六年]导致每名水手的预期终身总成本为 13472 美元，合理的下限和上限分别为 2500 美元和 26000 美元。从名义案例开始，将暴露水平或持续时间降低 50%，将分别节省约 23%和 19%的成本。我们得出结论，降低噪声水平比相同比例减少暴露年限更具成本效益。
我们的经济成本模型可用于估计由于单个军事人群的噪声暴露水平和/或持续时间的变化而导致的与 NIHL 相关的成本变化。尽管该模型目前受到限制，但为适应平民人群提供了建议。
