New app to help prevent hearing damage in navy personnel

Noise is inevitable in the navy environment and hearing loss and tinnitus are among the most common disability claims received by the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has developed the app, called the Warfighter’s Hearing Health Instructional Primer (WHHIP), to provide specific information via personal devices. The idea is that using the app will help foster a better understanding of hearing risks, and the proper selection and use of hearing protection. It has four different sections or activities – Learn, Demos, Hearing Protection Device (HPD) Check, and Glossary.

“Hearing loss is a major concern for the Navy,” says Kurt Yankaskas, who manages ONR’s Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Program and oversees WHHIP’s development. “It affects everything from mission productivity and effectiveness to the retention of personnel.” The app is another tool in the Navy’s Hearing Conservation Program.

“We envision WHHIP as a resource similar to WebMD,” says Dr. Kelly Watts from the Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory. “It’s not intended to replace the advice or expertise of a hearing professional such as an audiologist, but it’s a useful way to answer questions or get information about hearing health and well-being.”