Risk versus benefit: Should not audiologists assess this in the context of occupational noise-induced hearing loss in the mining industry?
Katijah Khoza-Shangase, Nomfundo F Moroe
PMID 32129658WHAT IT FOUND
No new clinical findings: this narrative review argues that audiologists should assess risks and benefits of hearing conservation programmes for miners exposed to occupational noise.
What this paper is
This is a narrative review arguing that audiologists should take a central role in assessing the risks and benefits of hearing conservation programmes for occupational noise-induced hearing loss in South African mines. It discusses published evidence and proposes principles, but it reports no methods, no new patient data and no outcomes, so there is no finding here to change practice on.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that audiologist-led risk-benefit assessment improves hearing conservation outcomes. The paper reports no evaluation of patients or programmes.