Wising Up about Noise-Induced Hearing Loss: An Evaluation of WISE EARS! A National Campaign to Prevent Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Abstract

In 1999, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) joined forces with public and private partners to launch WISE EARS!, a national campaign to prevent noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). The campaign's objectives were to educate the general public about the risks of NIHL and to motivate individuals and organizations to increase awareness about preventing NIHL. Central to the effort was the development and distribution of free educational materials, available both online and through a toll-free information clearinghouse. The materials included bilingual fact sheets and other publications, promotional items, multimedia presentations, an activity book for third through sixth graders, and an in-depth, Web-interactive curriculum for seventh and eighth grade students. In 2006, NIDCD evaluated WISE EARS! to determine how well the campaign was meeting its objectives and to make recommendations for the future direction of the campaign. Based on the evaluation's key findings, NIDCD plans to retool its NIHL campaign by focusing on children ages 9 to 13 years, forging more mutually beneficial partnerships, and making use of delivery channels with the highest potential to attract and engage the target audience.