title: Surveillance for work-related audiological disease in the UK: 1998-2006.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) from prolonged occupational exposure to noise continues to rank among the top worldwide work-related ill-health problems.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To provide an overview of incident cases based on work-related audiological ill-health data collected over a 9-year period from occupational physicians (OPs), audiological physicians (APs), general practitioners and otorhinolaryngologists.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of numerator data reported by physicians to surveillance schemes within The Health and Occupation Reporting network (THOR). The actual cases were multiplied by the sampling ratio to provide estimated numerator numbers, followed by calculation of incidence rates using denominator data derived from the Labour Force Survey and from surveys of participating OPs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two thousand five hundred and eighty-two estimated cases (2584 estimated diagnoses) were received from OPs (Occupational Physicians Reporting Activity [OPRA]), and 2192 estimated cases (3208 estimated diagnoses) of work-related audiological ill-health were received from consultant APs [Occupational Surveillance Scheme for Audiological physicians (OSSA)] from 1998 to 2006. Cases where the causal agent was noise exposure (NIHL and tinnitus) made up of 95 and 97% of all cases reported to OPRA and OSSA, respectively. The annual average incidence rate for noise-induced audiological disorders was 7.9 [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.6-11.1] per 100 000 persons employed (OPRA) and 0.8 (95% CI 0.7-1.0) per 100 000 persons employed (OSSA). Workers with the highest incidence were older males employed in public administration and defence and the manufacture of metals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  THOR data show that diagnoses related to work-related noise exposure (NIHL/tinnitus), as reported to THOR, remain important health problems, despite preventive measures being in place.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Health Sciences Group, School of Community Based Medicine, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Money
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carder
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hussey
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agius
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult