title: Noise perception in the workplace and auditory and extra-auditory symptoms referred by university professors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the correlation between noise in the work environment and auditory and extra-auditory symptoms referred by university professors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty five professors answered a questionnaire about identification, functional status, and health. The relationship between occupational noise and auditory and extra-auditory symptoms was investigated. Statistical analysis considered the significance level of 5%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the professors indicated absence of noise. Responses were grouped in Always (A) (n=21) and Not Always (NA) (n=63). Significant sources of noise were both the yard and another class, which were classified as high intensity; poor acoustic and echo. There was no association between referred noise and health complaints, such as digestive, hormonal, osteoarticular, dental, circulatory, respiratory and emotional complaints. There was also no association between referred noise and hearing complaints, and the group A showed higher occurrence of responses regarding noise nuisance, hearing difficulty and dizziness/vertigo, tinnitus, and earache. There was association between referred noise and voice alterations, and the group NA presented higher percentage of cases with voice alterations than the group A.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The university environment was considered noisy; however, there was no association with auditory and extra-auditory symptoms. The hearing complaints were more evident among professors in the group A. Professors' health is a multi-dimensional product and, therefore, noise cannot be considered the only aggravation factor.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Fonoaudiologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brasil. emilsemerlinservilha@ puc-campinas.edu.br
authors.forename: Emilse Aparecida Merlin
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Servilha
authors.forename: Marina de Almeida
authors.initials: Mde A
authors.lastname: Delatti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009623:Noise, Occupational; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis; D014495:Universities