title: Occupational noise exposure, psychosocial working conditions and the risk of tinnitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of occupational noise (current and cumulative doses) and psychosocial work factors (psychological demands and decision latitude) on tinnitus occurrence among workers, using objective and non-self-reported exposure measures to prevent reporting bias.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from a Danish survey from 2009 to 2010 that included 534 workers from children day care units and 10 manufacturing trades. Associations between risk factors (current noise exposure, cumulative noise exposure and psychosocial working conditions) and tinnitus were analyzed with logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no statistically significant associations between either current [OR 0.95 (95% CI 0.89; 1.01)] or cumulative [OR 0.93 (95% CI 0.81; 1.06)] occupational noise exposure and tinnitus. Likewise, results for psychosocial working conditions showed no statistically significant association between work place decision latitude [OR 1.06 (95% CI 0.94; 1.13)] or psychological demands [OR 1.07 (95% CI 0.90; 1.26)] and tinnitus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that current Danish occupational noise levels (in combination with relevant noise protection) are not associated with tinnitus. Also, results indicated that the psychosocial working conditions we observed in this cohort of mainly industrial workers were not associated with tinnitus. Therefore, psychosocial working conditions comparable to those observed in this study are probably not relevant to take into account in the evaluation of workers presenting with tinnitus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44 Building 2C, 8000, Åarhus C, Denmark. thofre@rm.dk.|Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Regionshospitalet Holstebro, 7500, Holstebro, Denmark. thofre@rm.dk.
authors.forename: Thomas Winther
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Frederiksen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Section for Epidemiology, Aarhus University, 8000, Åarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Cecilia Høst
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ramlau-Hansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44 Building 2C, 8000, Åarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Zara Ann
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Stokholm
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Section of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, 1014, Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: Matias Brødsgaard
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Grynderup
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.|Department of Public Health, Section of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, 1014, Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: Åse Marie
authors.initials: ÅM
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
authors.forename: Søren Peter
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kristiansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44 Building 2C, 8000, Åarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jesper Medom
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Vestergaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg University Hospital, 2400, Copenhagen NV, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jens Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bonde
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44 Building 2C, 8000, Åarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Henrik Albert
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kolstad
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012931:Social Environment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards
keywords: Decision latitude; Noise; Psychological demands; Psychosocial work factors; Tinnitus