title: Hearing loss in shipyard employees.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the most prevalent occupational illnesses, with a higher incidence in the heavy industry.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of NIHL in Greece and explore its correlations with other job and individual-related factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were administered, and audiograms were conducted to 757 employees of a shipyard company in Greece, both white- and blue-collar, during the period 2006-2009. A modification of the 1979' equation of the American Academy of Otolaryngology was used to calculate hearing loss. Statistical analysis was conducted by means of the SPSS v. 17.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 27.1% of the employees were hearing handicap. Hearing loss was correlated with age, past medical history of ear disease (Meniere's disease, acoustic neuroma, otosclerosis) or injury, hyperlipidemia, job title and level of education. A few questions on subjective hearing ability and symptoms showed strong discriminatory power of hearing pathology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study emphasize the burden of disease in the shipyard industry, and the need for continuous monitoring, implementation of preventive measures and hearing conservation programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Medical School, University of Patras, Patras, Greece ; School of Social Sciences, Hellenic Open University, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelos C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Alexopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Medical School, University of Patras, Patras, Greece ; GP Section, General Hospital of Aigio, Aigio, Greece.
authors.forename: Thomaella
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsouvaltzidou
keywords: Audiograms; blue-collar workers; heavy industry; noise-induced hearing loss; shipyard