Organizational influence on working people's occupational noise protection in Hong Kong.
BACKGROUND
While there is some evidence of the influences of personal knowledge and organizational factors on workers' hearing protection, a causal model examining relationships between these variables is lacking.


METHODS
To create and test such a model, this study collected data from 1,701 workers in Hong Kong through a random sample telephone survey.


RESULTS
Fitting the model to the data revealed that organizational regulation of occupational noise protection was a root cause of workers' protective behavior, whereas workers knowledge about the protection exhibited only a minimal effect.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings cast doubt on the significance of personal knowledge as a unique factor contributing to noise protection. The study also finds that organizational regulation was predictable by a number of organizational and industrial factors.


CONCLUSIONS
To prevent occupational deafness, organizational regulation accompanied by regular inspection and a norm of noise protection is important.
Department of Social Work, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, NT. cheungck@cuhk.edu.hk
Chau-kiu
CK
Cheung
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004430:Ear Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005161:Facility Regulation and Control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015279:Organizational Culture