Objective
a) Allow the cross-fertilisation of ideas between different disciplines.
b) To formulate standardised protocols for all aspects of data collection,
interpretation and evaluation.
c) To establish a European-wide data base to enable more accurate conclusions
regarding occupational noise-induced hearing loss and risk factors to be made
and secondly to provide a basis for ongoing future European research in this
area.
d) To evaluate the risk of childhood exposure to noise and the influence of this
on noise exposure in later life.
e) To develop better and more effective hearing protection.
f) To construct appropriate and flexible hearing protection programmes in the
workplace, together with efficient monitoring of such programmes.
g) To educate and raise the awareness of children, employees and employers to
the danger of excessive noise exposure.
An improved understanding of the mechanisms of noise induced hearing loss and the relevance of certain environmental, genetic, vascular and other factors would provide a basis upon which steps may be taken to reduce their effects or establish individual susceptibility and thus avoid exposure. An European databank will be established for the analysis of non-acoustic risk factors. Animal studies will contribute to the understanding of the basic biological mechanisms underlying noise trauma. Efficacy of hearing protective devices will be examined and improved protection programmes developed. This project will achieve these objectives by the collaboration of 22 centres in 15 countries assessing a wide variety of different aspects of noise-induced hearing loss. This information will be disseminated via a newsletter and regular meetings, together with an integrated training programme, enabling specialised techniques to be developed in other centres. The ultimate goals are to provide a broad comprehensive database for future European work in this area and to publish information to emphasize the health hazard of noise, both in leisure and in the workplace and raise the awareness of the general public, with respect to this hazard.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CON - Coordination of research actionsCoordinator
WC1X 8EE LONDON
United Kingdom