Occupational Noise Exposure and Age Correction: The Problem of Selection Bias

Robert A. Dobie
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Robert A. Dobie: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas, Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX 78229, USA

IJERPH, 2009, vol. 6, issue 12, 1-2

Abstract: Selection bias often invalidates conclusions about populations based on clinical convenience samples. A recent paper in this journal [1] makes two surprising assertions about noise-induced permanent threshold shift (NIPTS): first, that there is more NIPTS at 2 kHz than at higher frequencies; second, that NIPTS declines with advancing age. Neither assertion can be supported with the data presented, which were obtained from a clinical sample; both are consistent with the hypothesis that people who choose to attend an audiology clinic have worse hearing, especially at 2 kHz, than people of the same age and gender who choose not to attend.

Keywords: age correction; noise-induced; age-related; selection bias; NIPTS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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