Tinnitus Archive > Data Sets > 2 > Audiological History > Index of Noise Exposure

Index of Noise Exposure

Data Set 2: Gender Based Differences in Tinnitus

Overall Sample Number: 873

Number of patients responding to this item: 795

Format of the Questionnaire Item: Format is shown below the histogram.

Method for computing Noise Exposure Index (see details of Method below).

INDEX OF NOISE EXPOSURE

*F(1,793) = 379.8, p < .0001)*
	Males		Females		All
	N	Column %	N	Column %	N	Column %
-1.50 to -1.01	49	8.5	128	58.2	177	22.3
-1.00 to -0.51	80	13.9	59	26.8	139	17.5
-0.50 to -0.01	92	16.0	21	9.5	113	14.2
0.00 to 0.49	106	18.4	8	3.6	114	14.3
0.50 to 0.99	104	18.1	2	0.9	106	13.3
1.00 to 1.49	69	12.0	2	0.9	71	8.9
1.50 to 1.99	42	7.3	--	--	42	5.3
2.00 to 2.49	28	4.9	--	--	28	3.5
More than/equal to 2.50	5	0.9	--	--	5	0.6

Column Total	575	100.0	220	100.0	795	100.0

Format of the Questionnaire Item:

View Items In Context? ^{1,

2,

3,

4} View Coding In Context?

HAVE YOU WORKED IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF OCCUPATIONS? [] NO [] YES
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| (IF YES, CHECK ALL THAT APPLY, EVEN IF VERY BRIEF)             APPROX   |
|                                                      STARTING  LENGTH   |
|                                                        AGE    OF TIME   |
| [] LOGGING, LUMBER INDUSTRY                          ________ ________  |
| [] MINING                                            ________ ________  |
| [] FARMING                                           ________ ________  |
| [] FACTORY:_______________________________________   ________ ________  |
|                       INDICATE TYPE                                     |
| [] CANNERY                                           ________ ________  |
| [] PRINTING                                          ________ ________  |
| [] TRANSPORTATION (TRUCK, BOAT, PLANE, ETC.)         ________ ________  |
| [] CONSTRUCTION: _________________________________   ________ ________  |
|                       INDICATE TYPE                                     |
| [] POLICE, FIRE DEPT.                                ________ ________  |
| [] LOUD MUSIC   (1) AMPLIFIED ( ROCK BAND, OTHER )   ________ ________  |
|                 (2) LIVE MUSIC                       ________ ________  |
|  [] ANY OTHER TYPES OF NOISY OCCUPATION (DESCRIBE)                      |
|     ______________________________________________   ________ ________  |
|     ______________________________________________   ________ ________  |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+

HAVE YOU BEEN IN MILITARY SERVICE?      [] NO      [] YES
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| (IF YES, CHECK ALL THAT APPLY, EVEN IF VERY BRIEF)             APPROX   |
|                                                      STARTING  LENGTH   |
|                                                        AGE    OF TIME   |
| [] ARTILLERY                                         ________ ________  |
| [] TANKS, OTHER HEAVY EQUIPMENT                      ________ ________  |
| [] PLANES, HELICOPTERS                               ________ ________  |
| [] SMALL ARMS   (1) BASIC TRAINING                   ________ ________  |
|                 (2) AFTER BASIC                      ________ ________  |
| [] EXPLOSION                                         ________ ________  |
| [] OTHER:_________________________________________   ________ ________  |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+

HAVE YOU BEEN EXPOSED TO NOISE DURING RECREATIONAL OR LEISURE-TIME 
ACTIVITIES?       [] NO         [] YES
  IF YES:
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|     (PLEASE CHECK ALL THAT APPLY TO YOU IN THE LIST BELOW,              |
|   EVEN IF YOU DID THEM ONLY A FEW TIMES OR A LONG TIME AGO)    APPROX   |
|                                                      STARTING  LENGTH   |
|                                                        AGE    OF TIME   |
| [] GUNFIRE _______________________________________   ________ ________  |
|                    INDICATE TYPE(S)                                     |
| [] POWER TOOLS ___________________________________   ________ ________  |
|                    INDICATE TYPE(S)                                     |
| [] ENGINES (BOAT, AUTO, MOTORCYCLE, SKIMOBILE)       ________ ________  |
| [] LOUD MUSIC                                        ________ ________  |
| [] OTHER:_________________________________________   ________ ________  |
|                       DESCRIBE                                          |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+

HAVE YOU UNDERGONE ANY ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURE TO SUDDEN, INTENSE NOISE?
        [] NO     [] YES
IF YES:__________________________________  _______________  _______________
                TYPE OF NOISE               WHICH EAR OR     YOUR AGE THEN
                                              SIDE OF HEAD

Method for computing Noise Exposure Index:

Calculation of raw Noise Exposure values
(1) Patients listed the various types and durations of noise exposures they had experienced; (2) based on detailed interviewing, the examining audiologist rated the probable significance of each such exposure (1=low, 2=moderate, 3=high); (3) each patient's significance ratings were summed, yielding a Total Noise Exposure score for each patient.

Statistical transformation of raw Noise Exposure scores
(1) The mean and standard deviation of the Noise Exposure scores for the entire group of patients were calculated; (2) each patient's score was then standardized in terms of its distance above or below the mean, in standard deviation units (z-scores); (3) the resulting z-scores are the Noise Exposure Index values that are shown in the Table below.

Interpretation of Noise Exposure Index values
(1) It can be seen that nearly all females had Noise Exposure Index values below the group mean (i.e. little or no noise exposure); (2) the majority of males had Noise Exposure Index values at or above the group mean (i.e. substantial noise exposure).

Please note that some browser/printer configurations may not accurately reproduce this webpage; please check your printout with care.