Noise and Military Service

The Institute of Medicine carried out a study mandated by Congress and sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide an assessment of several issues related to noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus associated with service in the Armed Forces since World War II. The resulting book, Noise and Military Service: Implications for Hearing Loss and Tinnitus, presents findings on the presence of hazardous noise in military settings, levels of noise exposure necessary to cause hearing loss or tinnitus, risk factors for noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus, the timing of the effects of noise exposure on hearing, and the adequacy of military hearing conservation programs and audiometric testing. The book stresses the importance of conducting hearing tests (audiograms) at the beginning and end of military service for all military personnel and recommends several steps aimed at improving the military services' prevention of and surveillance for hearing loss and tinnitus. The book also identifies research needs, emphasizing topics specifically related to military service. Table of Contents Front Matter Executive Summary 1 Overview of the Problem and Introduction 2 Noise-Induced Hearing Loss 3 Noise and Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in the Military 4 Tinnitus 5 Responding to Noise Risks: Hearing Conservation Programs in the Military 6 Reports of Audiometric Testing in Service Medical Records of Military Veterans 7 Conclusions and Comments Appendix A Legislative Language from Public Law 107-330 Appendix B Agendas for Information-Gathering Meetings Appendix C Definitions Appendix D Summary Tables on Epidemiological Studies Appendix E Results from Alternative Analyses of Data on Reports of Audiometric Testing in Service Medical Records Appendix F Selected Sources of Information on Sound Pressure Levels Measured in and Around Military Systems and Equipment Appendix G Department of Defense Hearing Conservation Report Forms Appendix H Biographical Sketches of Committee Members