title: Prevalence of hearing loss in the United States by industry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Twenty-two million workers are exposed to hazardous noise in the United States. The purpose of this study is to estimate the prevalence of hearing loss among U.S. industries.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 2000-2008 audiograms for male and female workers ages 18-65, who had higher occupational noise exposures than the general population. Prevalence and adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) for hearing loss were estimated and compared across industries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our sample, 18% of workers had hearing loss. When compared with the Couriers and Messengers industry sub-sector, workers employed in Mining (PR = 1.65, CI = 1.57-1.73), Wood Product Manufacturing (PR = 1.65, CL = 1.61-1.70), Construction of Buildings (PR = 1.52, CI = 1.45-1.59), and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing (PR = 1.61, CL = 1.51-1.71) [corrected] had higher risks for hearing loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Workers in the Mining, Manufacturing, and Construction industries need better engineering controls for noise and stronger hearing conservation strategies. More hearing loss research is also needed within traditional "low-risk" industries like Real Estate.
authors: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA. emasterson@cdc.gov
authors: Elizabeth A
authors: EA
authors: Masterson
authors: SangWoo
authors: S
authors: Tak
authors: Christa L
authors: CL
authors: Themann
authors: David K
authors: DK
authors: Wall
authors: Matthew R
authors: MR
authors: Groenewold
authors: James A
authors: JA
authors: Deddens
authors: Geoffrey M
authors: GM
authors: Calvert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001299:Audiometry; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult