title: The influence of hearing impairment on sleep quality among workers exposed to harmful noise.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess connections between sleeping quality and hearing impairment due to prolonged exposure to industrial noise.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Occupational clinic of the Clalit Health Services in Israel.
  
  
  METHODS
  298 male volunteers occupationally exposed to harmful noise, who had an audiometric examination performed by an occupational nurse as a part of the national workers health supervision programs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participants underwent an audiometric testing, and their sleep quality was measured by a validated Mini Sleep Questionnaire (MSQ). Participants with hearing loss greater than 25 dBA in the range of 1000-4000 Hz were defined as the research group (n = 99) and were compared to those with no hearing impairment (n = 199). Sleeping disorders were age related (30% higher MSQ score among workers above 50 years, P = 0.003). Tinnitus was the highest sleep disturbing factor, with 75% higher score among those affected, P = 0.001. In multiple linear regression analysis, tinnitus was the leading sleep-disturbing factor (regression coefficient B = 8.66, P < 0.001) followed by hearing impairment (regression coefficient B = 2.42, P = 0.084), adjusted for age (or years of exposure) and coffee drinking. A part of the MSQ, related to insomnia, was further evaluated using logistic regression models. Tinnitus was again the leading sleep disturbing factor [OR = 11.91; CI95% (1.56-91.2)], followed by hearing impairment [OR = 3.051; CI95% (1.18-7.86)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although tinnitus was the main sleep disrupting factor, hearing impairment among workers occupationally exposed to harmful noise, independently contributed to sleep impairment, especially to insomnia, regardless of age and years of exposure.
authors.affiliation: Health Science Department, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. tsafatest@gmail.com
authors.forename: Tsafnat
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Test
authors.forename: Ayala
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Canfi
authors.forename: Arnona
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eyal
authors.forename: Ilana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shoam-Vardi
authors.forename: Einat K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Sheiner
mesh_terms: D001299:Audiometry; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012890:Sleep; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology