NCJ Number
129129
Journal
Corrective and Social Psychiatry and Journal of Behavior Technology Methods and Therapy Volume: 35 Issue: 4 Dated: (October 1989) Pages: 65-68
Date Published
1989
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Hearing screening was conducted on 246 inmates incarcerated at the Mississippi State Penitentiary. Screening measures included pure-tone testing, otoscopic examination, and tympanometry.
Abstract
Of the 246 inmates tested, 119 (48 percent) failed the initial screening and were retested 12 to 16 months later. Of this group, 84 percent failed the screening, a high percentage of failures in middle ear testing. The majority of the inmates tested (46 to 74 percent) reported histories of middle ear infections and hearing loss in their family as well as significant exposure to noise. The prevalence of hearing loss among this group of inmates was considerably higher than prevalence figures reported for the general population which include the higher prevalence of hearing loss found among the geriatric group. These results corroborate findings on hearing disorders reported from other correctional facilities in the United States. 6 tables and 9 references (Author abstract modified)