Preventing Noise Exposure in Farmworkers
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Farmworker Hearing Protection Training.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Noise Exposure. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
This study will evaluate a farmworker-level hearing loss prevention training designed to improve hearing protection use among farmworkers exposed to hazardous occupational noise. The intervention consists of a culturally and linguistically adapted, Spanish-language digital training module paired with hands-on earplug fitting and coaching. The primary goals of the study are to (1) assess the feasibility and acceptability of delivering the adapted training in community-based settings, and (2) estimate preliminary effectiveness using an objective measure of hearing protection fit. The study uses a single-arm, pre-post pilot design. A small group of farmworkers will complete pre- and post-training assessments of earplug fit, as well as brief surveys assessing hearing protection knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions. Qualitative feedback will be collected to inform refinement of the training and guide future scale-up. Results will inform the development of a subsequent multilevel intervention that integrates supervisor and organizational components.
Detailed description
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a permanent occupational condition resulting from cumulative exposure to hazardous noise. Farmworkers are routinely exposed to high noise levels from agricultural equipment, yet hearing protection use remains low, particularly among Spanish-speaking workers. Prior hearing conservation efforts in agriculture have emphasized self-reported behaviors and have rarely incorporated objective outcome measures or culturally and linguistically adapted training approaches.
This study evaluates a farmworker-level hearing protection micro-training as part of a community-engaged pilot designed to inform subsequent multilevel intervention development. The study uses a single-arm, pre-post design and focuses on feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of the adapted training.
The intervention consists of a Spanish-language digital training module adapted through formative research with farmworkers and delivered with facilitated discussion and hands-on coaching in proper foam earplug insertion. Adaptations are informed by community input and documented using implementation science frameworks to support transparency and reproducibility.
Participants complete baseline assessments followed by a single training session and immediate post-training assessments. The primary effectiveness endpoint is an objective measure of hearing protection fit obtained through standardized fit-testing procedures. Additional measures assess short-term changes in hearing protection beliefs and implementation-related outcomes to characterize feasibility and acceptability of delivery in community-based settings.
This pilot is not designed to evaluate changes in long-term behavior or occupational noise exposure. Rather, results will be used to refine intervention content and delivery procedures, estimate preliminary effect sizes, and inform the design of a future cluster-randomized trial that incorporates supervisor and organizational-level components for hearing loss prevention in agricultural settings.
Interventions
- Behavioral Farmworker Hearing Protection Training
This behavioral intervention is a brief, farmworker-level hearing protection training. The intervention includes a culturally adapted digital training module (novella-style) focused on noise-induced hearing loss prevention and correct foam earplug use, combined with hands-on earplug fitting and teach-back coaching. The training is delivered in a single session in a community-based setting.
Primary outcome measures
- Change in Earplug Fit (Personal Attenuation Rating) [Time frame: Pre-training and immediately post-training (single session)]
Secondary outcome measures (4)
- Change in Hearing Protection Beliefs and Attitudes [Time frame: Pre-training and immediately post-training]
- Acceptability of the Hearing Protection Training [Time frame: Immediately post-training]
- Feasibility of the Hearing Protection Training [Time frame: Immediately post-training]
- Appropriateness of the Hearing Protection Training [Time frame: Immediately post-training]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Adults aged 18 years or older
- Currently employed as a farmworker in agricultural settings with routine exposure to occupational noise
- Able to understand and provide informed consent in Spanish or English
Exclusion criteria
- Not currently employed as a farmworker
- Medical or ear conditions that preclude safe use of foam earplugs (e.g., acute ear infection, recent ear surgery)
- Inability to complete study procedures as determined by study staff
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Allocation
- N/A
- Model
- Single group
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07271290 · IRB-25-0158 · 1K23DC022303-01A1