Development and validation of the North American COmfort of hearing PROtection Device questionnaire (COPROD-NAQ)

Auteurs

Alessia Negrini, Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST)Follow
Chantal Gauvin, Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST)
Djamal Berbiche, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Research Center - CSSS Champlain-Charles-Le Moyne, Campus de Longueuil, Université de Sherbrooke, 150 Place Charles-Le Moyne, bureau 200, C.P. 11, Longueuil, J4K 0A8, QC, Canada
Jonathan Terroir, Institut national de recherche et de sécurité (INRS), 1 Rue du Morvan, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, 54500, France
Nellie Perrin, Institut national de recherche et de sécurité (INRS), 1 Rue du Morvan, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, 54500, France
Caroline Jolly, Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST)Follow
Laurence Martin, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, C. P. 6128, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, H3C 3J7, QC, Canada
Franck Sgard, Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST)Follow
Olivier Doutres, Department of Mechanical Engineering, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), 1100 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montréal, H3C 1K3, QC, Canada

Type de document

Études primaires

Année de publication

2025

Langue

Anglais

Titre de la revue

Safety Science

Résumé

The use of hearing protection devices (HPDs), such as earplugs, is essential for mitigating occupational noise-induced hearing loss. However, earplug discomfort often hinders consistent and proper usage. This international and multidisciplinary study is based on a comfort model of HPD use, and considers four comfort dimensions (physical, functional, acoustical, psychological) and the influence of the triad environment/person/earplugs” components on overall comfort. Addressing shortcomings in defining and measuring comfort, the study aims to enrich understanding of the multifaceted aspects of earplug (dis)comfort and the role played by the triad. Specific objectives include developing and validating the “North American COmfort of Hearing PROtection Device Questionnaire (COPROD-NAQ),” proposing a latent overall comfort (LOC) model and comparing earplug families regarding (dis)comfort dimensions. Longitudinal data were collected over a 7-week from 173 workers testing 998 pairs of earplugs in three Canadian manufacturing companies. Factor analyses identified 51 items across 11 conceptual sub-dimensions with satisfactory reliability coefficients. Statistical analyses confirmed the COPROD-NAQ's validity as well. All its sub-dimensions significantly contributed to the LOC, with psychological and functional comfort exerting greater influence. Certain triad component characteristics (e.g., working during weekdays with a day shift, being right-handed, Custom 1 earplug model) enhanced the LOC. Finally, custom earplugs were perceived as most comfortable. The COPROD-NAQ emerges as a powerful tool for assessing earplug comfort and its interaction with triad characteristics, beneficial for occupational health and safety stakeholders. It will aid in prevention programs and help manufacturers design more comfortable earplugs to prevent hearing impairment. © 2024

Mots-clés

Protège-tympan, Earplug, Évaluation du confort, Comfort assessment, Protection de l'ouïe, Hearing protection, Enquête par questionnaire, Questionnaire survey, Essai du matériel, Equipment testing

Numéro de projet IRSST

2015–0014

Citation recommandée

Negrini, A., Gauvin, C., Berbiche, D., Terroir, J., Perrin, N., Jolly, C., . . . Doutres, Olivier. (2025). Development and validation of the North American Comfort of hearing PROtection Device questionnaire (COPROD-NAQ). Safety Science, 181, article 106688. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2024.106688