Occupational hearing loss: An ontario perspective

: In the past 11 years over 6,500 patients referred by the Workmen's Compensation Board for evaluation of hearing loss of possible industrial etiology have been evaluated at Mount Sinai Hospital. Various groups of workers have been studied from the audiological, otological, and epidemiological standpoint. Problems of assessment include the accurate quantification of hearing loss which may be difficult for a number of reasons including lack of understanding of the test and lack of willingness to cooperate. An accurate diagnosis may be difficult to achieve because of lack of previous history, poor memory, etc. The method of use in Ontario for quantifying hearing loss will be reviewed and its relationship to handicap discussed. The success of rehabilitation by means of hearing aid use will be analysed. This is surprisingly good.