Los Angeles, CA - November 30, 2010 - House Ear Institute is launching a national teen hearing loss prevention campaign online for its' educational initiative "It's How You Listen That Counts®". Designed to encourage teens to care about protecting their hearing from over-exposure to damaging sound levels in their daily lives, the three month promotional push targets educational messages to teens ages 12-19.
The campaign will direct teens to engaging and educational content on its' newly -redesigned Earbud.org website at www.earbud.org. The new site provides easier access to news, events, multimedia content as well as interactive fact sheets, quizzes, hearing loss simulators and a virtual hearing conservation workshop.
"Teenagers are known to be a challenging audience to reach regarding health issues. We believe it is important to encourage teens to want to seek out this health information on their own and share it with their friends," said Marilee Potthoff, director of community outreach and education, House Ear Institute. "We are accomplishing our educational goals for this tough audience through messages that communicate effectively to teenagers in places they spend the most time, both online and in the classroom,"
The institute is engaging teens using a variety of social media, search engines and Internet radio outlets, as well as email blasts to teen subscribers of videogame and scholastic service newsletters.
The Teacher's Toolbox, available at www.earbud.org, provides middle and high school instructors with downloadable classroom materials, which allows them to present hearing loss prevention curriculum to their students. Although the message of hearing health is a natural fit for science and health teachers, the message of preventing noise-induced hearing loss is critically important for music, band, choir and orchestra teachers to incorporate into rehearsals and performances for their students.
For schools in Southern California, the institute offers in-school workshops. The message during the workshops is powerful enough to have an immediate impact on the students. To schedule a workshop contact Marilee Potthoff at 213-353-7078;mpotthoff@hei.org.
The national campaign is funded with grants from UniHealth Foundation and the Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation
Background
"It's How You Listen That Counts®" is a consumer awareness campaign launched by House Ear Institute in 2006 to reach teens with a hearing conservation message that compels them to practice smart listening habits in their enjoyment of music and other audio. By increasing teen knowledge of the impact of noise on hearing and influencing their attitudes and behaviors around noise, the institute hopes to motivate them to take measures to avoid noise-induced hearing loss - the one type of hearing loss that can be prevented.
About the House Ear Institute
The House Ear Institute (HEI) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advancing hearing science through research and education to improve quality of life. HEI scientists investigate the cellular and molecular causes of hearing loss and related auditory disorders as well as neurological processes pertaining to the human auditory system and the brain. Our researchers also explore technology advancements to improve auditory implants, hearing aids, diagnostic techniques and rehabilitation tools. The Institute shares its knowledge with the scientific and medical communities as well as the general public through its education and outreach programs.
