The use of the Dangerous Decibels® program for refrigeration company workers and their children: an intergenerational pilot study

Abstract

Objective: to report the use of the Dangerous Decibels® program for workers of a refrigeration company and their children as an intervention strategy for hearing health. Methods: an intervention study conducted in the city of Chapecó, SC, Brazil. Eight workers from a refrigeration company and their children participated in the study. The strategies adopted were those proposed by the Dangerous Decibels® program. Results: the Dangerous Decibels® program strategies contributed to the reflection on noise and favored interaction among participants. Workers and their children mutually committed to protecting and preserving hearing by passing on the knowledge gained to other family members, friends, and co-workers. The three basic principles of the Dangerous Decibels® program adopted by the participants were: Move away from noise, turn down the volume and protect the ears. Conclusion: the Dangerous Decibels® program developed in an intergenerational context was well received and accepted by workers and their children. As an educational intervention strategy for hearing health, it proved to be viable, convenient and with adequate content to be used simultaneously in populations of different age groups.