Objective: To determine stages of hearing-protection behavioral change and their relationships with cognitions and hearing status.
Method: A cross-sectional study of 769 construction workers who completed a survey and audiometric tests.
Results: The majority of participants (over 64%) were in the preparation stage. Participants in the action/maintenance stage demonstrated significantly greater benefits, self-efficacy, and interpersonal influence; fewer barriers; and better hearing. This is the first study that shows significantly better health outcome, hearing ability, as the stage progresses.
Conclusion: Study demonstrates preliminary validity of the stages of change with hearing-protection behavior. Future hearing-protection intervention should integrate the stages of change to increase effectiveness.