I just returned from a meeting at the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association in Rockville, MD. I sit on the coordinating committee and serve as the editor of  Special Interest Group 8. This group focuses on public health issues relating to hearing and balance. Below is  a list of the current areas of focus:

• Noise and hearing conservation
• Acoustic measurement and standards
• Environmental studies and policy
• Legislation pertaining to public, educational, and occupational accessibility and accommodations for those with hearing and balance problems
• Forensic (investigative) audiology
• Emergent issues related to high risk variables such as ototoxins, infectious disease, acoustic (neuro-otologic) trauma, and domestic abuse/violence.
• Innovations in teleaudiology

We are looking for input regarding areas that are timely and of importance. What would you like to see addressed by this committee?  Our goal is to disseminate information to the public and to professionals.