Los Angeles and San Francisco - October 12, 2004 - Celebrating a five-year partnership, the Audio Engineering Society (AES) and the House Ear Institute (HEI) will again offer hearing screenings and hearing health information for attendees and exhibitors at the 116th AES Convention, which runs from October 28 through 31 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco.
The hearing screenings, offered as part of HEI's Sound Partners TM hearing conservation program, will be available throughout the four-day convention, and same day appointment times can be scheduled at the HEI information booth. The screenings and hearing conservation information will be available at booth number 102. A certified OSHA technician will conduct the screenings.
Upon completion, participants receive a computerized printout of their test results. All individual test data is retained in a confidential database at the Institute, so that people who have had previous screenings at AES can compare their current test with their prior year's results. A licensed audiologist will be available during the show to counsel participants on their confidential results.
The screenings and hearing health information at AES and other industry shows are a traditional part of the HEI's Sound Partners TM program, an outreach initiative to raise awareness among audio and music professionals and the listening public about the importance of safe listening practices in the prevention of permanent hearing loss. The complimentary materials offered provide information on noise-induced hearing loss, hearing protection devices and conservation practices promoting better hearing health.
"Recognizing the importance of good hearing health for people who work in the world of audio, the Audio Engineering Society was the first major industry association to sponsor hearing screenings for its membership; further House Ear Institute, through its Sound Partners program, was the first hearing health organization to offer this service to the industry.
Since 1997 the House Ear Institute has been able to educate several thousand audio professionals at the annual AES Convention about protecting their hearing health from noise-induced hearing loss and give them an opportunity to have an annual hearing screening," said Marilee Potthoff, marketing director, House Ear Institute.
As a world-renowned non-profit scientific and educational institute devoted to advancing hearing science research, the House Ear Institute has been able to analyze the multi-year data it has collected from thousands of screenings conducted at these shows through its Sound Partners program, with the goal of providing the audio and entertainment industries with a better understanding of hearing health trends in the profession. Recent study results analyzed by HEI experts Rachel Cruz, M.A., CCC-A, and Laurel Fisher, Ph.D., have confirmed significant trends within the audio professions regarding the prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss compared with other sectors of the general population, substantiating the importance for those in the industry to have regular hearing screenings and protect themselves from excessive noise exposure, both on and off the job. It is particularly encouraging, therefore, that there is a growing concern and appreciation among audio engineers about the importance of safe listening practices.
About the House Ear Institute
The House Ear Institute (HEI) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advancing hearing science through research and education to improve quality of life. Its accomplishments include conducting the basic research used to set the OSHA standards for noise-exposure. HEI scientists are exploring the causes of auditory disorders on the cellular and molecular level as well as refining the application of auditory implants and hearing aids. For more information please call (213) 483-4431 or visit the Web site at www.hei.org.
