Occupational noise exposure and hearing loss characteristics of a blue-collar population.
Recent studies of health effects from chronic exposure to noise in the workplace have not consistently addressed nonoccupational variables. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 197 randomly selected male hourly workers from a noisy plant (greater than or equal to 89 dBA) in Pittsburgh to fully assess noise exposure and hearing loss, incorporating information on duration of exposure, noise level, occupational and medical histories, audiometric evaluation, and external noise sources. Population audiometric profiles are characteristic of noise-induced hearing loss; mean hearing thresholds for press room men were significantly higher at 2, 3, and 6 kHz (p less than or equal to .05). Only 40% of the men consistently wore hearing protection. Recent use of ototoxic drugs, noisy hobbies/second jobs, military service, family history of hearing loss, and ear-related problems were not found to have a significant effect on hearing levels at high frequencies, suggesting that observed hearing losses were of an occupational origin.
D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D004430:Ear Protective Devices; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D012306:Risk