Noise exposure and auditory effects on preschool personnel
Hearing impairments and tinnitus are being reported in an increasing extent from employees in the preschool. The investigation included 101 employees at 17 preschools in Umeå county, Sweden. Individual noise recordings and stationary recordings in dining rooms and play halls were conducted at two de...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2012-01-01
|
Series: | Noise and Health |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.noiseandhealth.org/article.asp?issn=1463-1741;year=2012;volume=14;issue=57;spage=72;epage=82;aulast=SjÖdin |
id |
doaj-44e449e5a2b740d1a3779f320b3853b4 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-44e449e5a2b740d1a3779f320b3853b42020-11-24T23:40:17ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsNoise and Health1463-17411998-40302012-01-011457728210.4103/1463-1741.95135Noise exposure and auditory effects on preschool personnelFredrik SjödinAnders KjellbergAnders KnutssonUlf LandströmLennart LindbergHearing impairments and tinnitus are being reported in an increasing extent from employees in the preschool. The investigation included 101 employees at 17 preschools in Umeå county, Sweden. Individual noise recordings and stationary recordings in dining rooms and play halls were conducted at two departments per preschool. The effects of noise exposures were carried out through audiometric screenings and by use of questionnaires. The average individual noise exposure was close to 71 dB(A), with individual differences but small differences between the preschools. The noise levels in the dining room and playing halls were about 64 dB(A), with small differences between the investigated types of rooms and preschools. The hearing loss of the employees was significantly higher for the frequencies tested when compared with an unexposed control group in Sweden. Symptoms of tinnitus were reported among about 31% of the employees. Annoyance was rated as somewhat to very annoying. The voices of the children were the most annoying noise source. The dB(A) level and fluctuation of the noise exposure were significantly correlated to the number of children per department. The preschool sound environment is complex and our findings indicate that the sound environment is hazardous regarding auditory disorders. The fluctuation of the noise is of special interest for further research.http://www.noiseandhealth.org/article.asp?issn=1463-1741;year=2012;volume=14;issue=57;spage=72;epage=82;aulast=SjÖdinAuditory effectshearing lossnoise fluctuationnoisepreschooltinnitus |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Fredrik Sjödin Anders Kjellberg Anders Knutsson Ulf Landström Lennart Lindberg |
spellingShingle |
Fredrik Sjödin Anders Kjellberg Anders Knutsson Ulf Landström Lennart Lindberg Noise exposure and auditory effects on preschool personnel Noise and Health Auditory effects hearing loss noise fluctuation noise preschool tinnitus |
author_facet |
Fredrik Sjödin Anders Kjellberg Anders Knutsson Ulf Landström Lennart Lindberg |
author_sort |
Fredrik Sjödin |
title |
Noise exposure and auditory effects on preschool personnel |
title_short |
Noise exposure and auditory effects on preschool personnel |
title_full |
Noise exposure and auditory effects on preschool personnel |
title_fullStr |
Noise exposure and auditory effects on preschool personnel |
title_full_unstemmed |
Noise exposure and auditory effects on preschool personnel |
title_sort |
noise exposure and auditory effects on preschool personnel |
publisher |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
series |
Noise and Health |
issn |
1463-1741 1998-4030 |
publishDate |
2012-01-01 |
description |
Hearing impairments and tinnitus are being reported in an increasing extent from employees in the preschool. The investigation included 101 employees at 17 preschools in Umeå county, Sweden. Individual noise recordings and stationary recordings in dining rooms and play halls were conducted at two departments per preschool. The effects of noise exposures were carried out through audiometric screenings and by use of questionnaires. The average individual noise exposure was close to 71 dB(A), with individual differences but small differences between the preschools. The noise levels in the dining room and playing halls were about 64 dB(A), with small differences between the investigated types of rooms and preschools. The hearing loss of the employees was significantly higher for the frequencies tested when compared with an unexposed control group in Sweden. Symptoms of tinnitus were reported among about 31% of the employees. Annoyance was rated as somewhat to very annoying. The voices of the children were the most annoying noise source. The dB(A) level and fluctuation of the noise exposure were significantly correlated to the number of children per department. The preschool sound environment is complex and our findings indicate that the sound environment is hazardous regarding auditory disorders. The fluctuation of the noise is of special interest for further research. |
topic |
Auditory effects hearing loss noise fluctuation noise preschool tinnitus |
url |
http://www.noiseandhealth.org/article.asp?issn=1463-1741;year=2012;volume=14;issue=57;spage=72;epage=82;aulast=SjÖdin |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT fredriksjodin noiseexposureandauditoryeffectsonpreschoolpersonnel AT anderskjellberg noiseexposureandauditoryeffectsonpreschoolpersonnel AT andersknutsson noiseexposureandauditoryeffectsonpreschoolpersonnel AT ulflandstrom noiseexposureandauditoryeffectsonpreschoolpersonnel AT lennartlindberg noiseexposureandauditoryeffectsonpreschoolpersonnel |
_version_ |
1725510227163348992 |