Sally Lechlitner Lusk, PhD, RN, FAAOHN, FAAN, is a Professor Emerita from The University of Michigan where she conducted research to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. Her randomized controlled trials identified the factors determining workers’ use of Hearing Protection Devices, developed and tested successful interventions, and inspired NIOSH to establish intramural research programs focused on behavioral factors related to use of personal protective equipment. She also conducted in a worksite one of the first studies to document the real time effects of noise exposure on blood pressure and heart rate. Results of these studies were published in the nursing research, occupational health, and environmental health literature.

Since her retirement, she has focused on influencing policies to reduce environmental noise to prevent its myriad harmful effects on health including in environmental justice communities. She and colleagues prepared a Position Paper and a Policy Brief adopted and published by the American Academy of Nursing. A chapter authored with Dr. Marjorie McCullagh describing these negative effects on health will soon be available in the second edition of Environmental Health for Nursing electronic text being published by the Alliance of Nurses for a Healthy Environment.