EFFECTIVENESS OF A NEW TABLET-BASED HEARING SCREENING SYSTEM, AMONG A COHORT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH A HIGH INCIDENCE OF HEARING LOSS

摘要

Hearing loss presents a significant global cost impact, including the costs to productivity as well as the cost of long term healthcare. Occupational hearing loss also presents a considerable cost to employers, with the average total case number of NIHL caused or made worse by work from 2009/10 - 2011/12 being 19 000 cases [1]. With an ageing population and legislative requirements to screen and protect workers from occupational hearing damage, the traditional method of audiometric screening in which tests are run on a 1:1 basis with a qualified audiometrist is expensive. However, an Australian study concluded that the average overall economic cost of hearing loss is $3,314 AUS per person with hearing loss per annum, and the overall economic benefits of widespread screening significantly outweigh the costs [2,3].