[Hypoacusia as a result of chronic traumatic acoustic lesion in workers with affiliation to the Mexican Social Security Institute, 1992-2002].
BACKGROUND
Hypoacusia by chronic acoustic trauma (HTAC) is one of the main work diseases.


OBJECTIVE
to analyze the distribution and frequency of hearing loss produced by chronic acoustic trauma (HLON) in workers who attend to Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS). Also analyze the estimated cost of permanent work disabilities.


METHODS
We analyze all hearing loss cases of the workers who attend to IMSS in the period between 1992 to 2001, registered in the Subsystem of registration of work's risk in the IMSS. Measures of central tendency, odds ratio (OR) and direct costs by means were calculated.


RESULTS
The HLON represents 41% (1867) of all work's disease, during the period it was observed an increase of number of cases, the average of permanent disabilities, the rate of incidence and the average of rating percentage. The cases solved through a demand showed an increase to 105% in four years. The estimate monthly cost for every worker was 277 pesos.


CONCLUSIONS
The HLON represents an important problem for the IMSS causing social and economic impact. If they don't take some actions to improve the quality of chronic acoustic trauma diagnosis it will have more serious consequences.
Loera-González
Maria de los Angeles
Mde L
Coordinación de Salud en el Trabajo, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico. maria.loera@imss.gob.mx
Salinas-Tovar
Santiago
S
Aguilar-Madrid
Guadalupe
G
Borja-Aburto
Victor Hugo
VH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012943:Social Security; D017132:Workplace