2022 NHCA Annual Virtual Conference

Since 2017 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) Workgroup has disseminated data and public health information on the prevention of NIHL at home and in the community. In 2021 these activities included digital public service announcements for Super Bowl LV, the Daytona 500 stockcar race and targeting new audiences with the National College Football Championship and 26 Major League Soccer games. Going digital allowed for tracking impact data for each event. Another activity was a literature review and environmental scan of 60 existing community noise ordinances conducted on local government web pages or via legal code databases. Ordinances were specifically reviewed to identify 22 key aspects of noise ordinances, including five key noise control measures: audibility, time of day, decibel level, zoning, and specified quiet zones to protect communities at risk (e.g., hospitals, schools). CDC also analyzed a representative sample of U.S. adult population from a 2021 national marketing survey that included questions related to restaurant noise. Findings suggest a need to strengthen a public health focus on the adverse health effects of excessive noise exposure at dining venues.