Hearing Loss in Persons Exposed and not Exposed to Occupational Noise

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to compare hearing loss in individuals at risk and those not at risk for occupational noise and to compare working loss by gender. MATERIALS and METHODS:The analysis used data from a current Czech Ministry of Health grant project called Epidemiological and Genetic Study of the Frequency of Hearing Loss (2011Loss ( to 2015 NT12246-5/2011). The analyzed sample comprised 4988 participants. Hearing was tested using pure-tone threshold audiometry, tympanometry, and measurement of the stapedius reflex. RESULTS:Females at risk and those not at risk for occupational noise who were younger than 44 years and older than 75 years were found to have no statistically significant differences at any pure-tone threshold audiometry frequency. In females aged 45 to 74 years, statistically significant differences were found. In males, hearing loss was observed as early as 18 years of age. When comparing males and females at no risk for occupational noise, there were no statistically significant differences at any of the frequencies in those younger than 29 years. In females aged 30 years or older, statistically significant differences were observed at various frequencies in all age groups. When comparing males and females at risk for occupational noise, statistically significant differences were more frequent than in employees not exposed to noise. CONCLUSION:Hearing loss in females does not significantly vary depending on occupational exposure. The opposite is true for males. However, the maximum differences in mean levels did not exceed 10 dB. It is therefore clear that noise is a preventable factor, and the use of personal protective equipment is warranted.

The combined effect of cigarette smoking and occupational noise exposure on hearing loss: evidence from the Dongfeng-Tongji Cohort Study

“…Adverse health effects with exposure to occupational noise are of increasing health concern. Hearing loss is a well-known consequence of long-term exposure to high level noise 6 , 7 , and occupational noise exposure has also been associated with sleeping disorders 8 , ECG abnormalities 9 or hypertension 10 . Persistent damage on hair cells and hearing conduction nerves induced by long-term exposure to relative high level of occupational noise was thought to be a key reason for hearing loss 11 .…”

Association of Behavior With Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Attendees of an Outdoor Music Festival

“…[9][10][11][12] This association is partly biased by the cumulative noise exposure inherent to an increasing age. Second, several studies on occupational NIHL 9,10,[12][13][14] have shown that men are more likely to develop NIHL than are women. For the same amount of occupational noise, Kovalova et al 13 observed significantly more NIHL in men than in women.…”

“…Second, several studies on occupational NIHL 9,10,[12][13][14] have shown that men are more likely to develop NIHL than are women. For the same amount of occupational noise, Kovalova et al 13 observed significantly more NIHL in men than in women. Third, alcohol intake is correlated with NIHL.…”

Occupational Exposure to Noise and Age-related Hearing Loss in an Elderly Population of Southern Italy

“…Between January 2013 and August 2017, a sample of 1611 subjects (769 males, 842 females; average age 73.8 years, SD ± 6), living independently or institutionalized, was randomly selected from the electoral rolls of eight Italian municipalities after stratification for age and gender. All subjects are part of "The Great-AGE Study", an on-going population-based study on ageing conducted in Castellana Grotte, a small town in the Apulia region, southern Italy [38]. The study population was divided into a group of subjects exposed professionally to noise for a period of less than 10 years or not at all (n = 1129) and a group of subjects professionally exposed to noise for over 10 years (n = 482).…”