@article{ref1,
title="A self-controlled trial to evaluate the use of active hearing defenders in the engine rooms of operational naval vessels",
journal="Singapore medical journal",
year="2004",
author="Ong, M. and Choo, J. T. L. and Low, E.",
volume="45",
number="2",
pages="75-78",
abstract="INTRODUCTION: Active Hearing Defenders are established hearing protectors with in-built electro-acoustics that shut-off ambient noise while allowing effective communication between users. METHODS: A blinded, self-controlled trial was conducted among naval servicemen to compare the effectiveness of two types of active hearing defenders (Howard-Leight Thunder TM and COM-55) in relation to passive hearing defenders in an operational environment. RESULTS: Subjects felt that the active hearing defenders were more comfortable, durable, and that the active hearing defenders helped them work better. When subjects were tested with a speech discrimination battery (Central Institute of the Deaf, Spondee Word lists), there was a significant difference (p value of 0.04, using the Kruskall-Wallis ANOVA test) between the two active and the passive defenders. However, no significant difference was found between the two types of active hearing defenders. CONCLUSION: Active hearing defenders are an acceptable and efficacious means of hearing protection in noisy environments.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0037-5675",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}