Page 65 - ITU KALEIDOSCOPE, ATLANTA 2019

ICT for Health: Networks, standards and innovation

hearing aids, preservation of residual hearing and [7] OSHA standard 1910.95, Occupational noise
improvement of quality of life. exposure, accessed 2019:
https://www.osha.gov/laws-
The app development has been influenced by the global need, regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.95
priorities for systems and services for assistive products as
announced by the UN Global Partnership for Assistive Appendix A Noise exposure computation
Technology [19]. For hearing aids, one of the five identified https://www.osha.gov/laws-
‘priority’ products, the proposed app could serve as a tool to regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.95App
advance overall hearing healthcare while addressing needs A
for global awareness, access and user-centric innovation.
[8] NIOSH Sound Level Meter App, 2019:
In the US, the National Academies of Science, Engineering https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/app.html
and Medicine (NASEM) report on improving access and
affordability for hearing healthcare identifies the need for [9] Department of Defense, Design criteria noise limits.
innovative solutions for patient-centered care with a 2015:
recommendation for a new category of over-the-counter https://www.arl.army.mil/www/pages/343/MIL-
hearing devices [20]. The report also recommends engaging STD-1474E-Final-15Apr2015.pdf
a wider community by awareness, education and support.
We envision the Hearing Health app to be a component of [10] U.S. Army Public Health Command. Hearing loss
an OTC hearing aid system that would engage the user in and noise. 2019:
better management of personal hearing health needs https://phc.amedd.army.mil/PHC%20Resource%20
supporting effective use of the hearing aid. Library/HEARING_LOSS_AND_NOISE.pdf

Cumulatively, the experience from users with and without [11] Department of Defense, Hearing Center of
hearing impairment could be of significance for potential Excellence, accessed 2019:
extensions of Recommendation ITU-T H.870 to other use https://hearing.health.mil/Prevention/Preventing-
cases. Noise-Induced-Hearing-Loss/How-Loud-is-Too-
Loud
REFERENCES
[12] ITU-T. H.870. Guidelines for safe listening
[1] J. Eichwald, F. Scinicariello, J.L. Teffer, and Y.I. devices/systems, 2018. https://www.itu.int/rec/T-
Carroll. “Use of personal hearing protection devices REC-H.870-201808-I/en
at loud athletic or entertainment events among adults
– United States, 2018. Morbidity and Mortality [13] WHO-ITU Standard. Safe Listening Devices and
Weekly Report, vol. 67 no. 41, pp 1151-1155, 2018. Systems, 2019.
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/280
[2] National Institute on Deafness and other 085/9789241515276-eng.pdf?ua=1
Communication Disorders, 2017:
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/news/2017/us-adults- [14] World Health Organization, hearWHO, 2019.
aged-20-69-years-show-signs-noise-induced- https://www.who.int/deafness/hearWHO/en/
hearing-loss
[15] WHO guideline, Recommendations on digital
[3] World Health Organization, 2019: interventions for health system strengthening, 2019:
https://www.who.int/deafness/en/ https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/311
941/9789241550505-eng.pdf?ua=1
[4] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017:
https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/HearingLoss/ [16] Principles of digital development, accessed 2019:
https://digitalprinciples.org/principles/
[5] National Institute on Deafness and other
Communication Disorders, 2019: [17] WHO-ITU toolkit for safe listening devices and
https://www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov/kids- systems, 2019:
preteens/keep-listening-to-the-beat https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/280
086/9789241515283-eng.pdf?ua=1
[6] NIOSH Occupational noise exposure, revised
criteria, 1998: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/98- [18] FDA Draft Guidance. Clinical and Patient Decision
126/pdfs/98- Support Software, 2017:
126.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB98126 https://www.fda.gov/media/109618/download

– 45 –