Hearing Loss Hearing Loss Prevention Test 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which test is typically used in newborn hearing screening programs?
- Pure tone audiometry
- Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) and/or auditory brainstem response (ABR) (Correct answer)
- Tympanometry
- Speech recognition testing
Correct answer: Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) and/or auditory brainstem response (ABR)
OAE and ABR tests are used in newborn screening because they are objective, non-invasive, and can be performed on sleeping infants without requiring a behavioral response.
Question 2: Noise-induced hearing loss is considered preventable because it is caused by:
- Genetic factors that cannot be controlled
- Controllable environmental noise exposures that can be reduced or blocked (Correct answer)
- Normal aging processes
- Spontaneous inner ear changes
Correct answer: Controllable environmental noise exposures that can be reduced or blocked
NIHL is entirely preventable because it results from environmental noise exposures that can be controlled through engineering controls, administrative controls, and hearing protection.
Question 3: The hierarchy of controls for occupational noise hazards places which control method as most effective?
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Administrative controls (job rotation)
- Engineering controls (noise source reduction) (Correct answer)
- Warning signs
Correct answer: Engineering controls (noise source reduction)
Engineering controls are the most effective in the hierarchy, addressing noise at the source (e.g., quieter machinery, enclosures, vibration dampening) rather than relying on human behavior.
Question 4: Annual audiometric testing in workplace hearing conservation programs is intended to detect:
- Pre-existing hearing conditions only
- Standard threshold shifts (STS) indicating noise-induced hearing damage before it becomes severe (Correct answer)
- Employee compliance with PPE rules
- Tinnitus severity
Correct answer: Standard threshold shifts (STS) indicating noise-induced hearing damage before it becomes severe
Annual testing detects standard threshold shifts (a 10 dB or greater average shift at 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz) early, allowing intervention before hearing loss becomes significant.
Question 5: Recreational noise exposures that can cause hearing loss include which of the following?
- Whispered conversations
- Movie theaters at standard volume
- Concerts, power tools, and personal audio devices at high volumes (Correct answer)
- Normal television viewing
Correct answer: Concerts, power tools, and personal audio devices at high volumes
Concerts, power tools, and personal audio devices at high volumes all exceed safe noise levels and are among the leading causes of recreational noise-induced hearing loss.
Question 6: Ear protection should be double-plugged (wearing both earplugs and earmuffs) when noise exposure exceeds approximately:
- 85 dBA
- 90 dBA
- 100 dBA
- 105 dBA (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 105 dBA
Double protection (combining earplugs and earmuffs) is recommended when noise levels exceed 105 dBA, as single protection may be insufficient at extremely high noise levels.
Hearing Loss Hearing Loss Prevention Test 2
Which test is typically used in newborn hearing screening programs?