OCCUPATIONAL NOISE AS A RISK FACTOR FOR HEARING LOSS

• Main Authors: Áurea Otoni, Marlene Escher Boger, Anadergh Barbosa-Branco, Helena Eri Shimizu, Mariluci Alves Maftum
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal do Paraná 2008-09-01
• Series: Cogitare Enfermagem
• Subjects: Hearing loss; Noise; Workers' Health
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.5380/ce.v13i3.12968

Transversal study of historical cohort in industries of different functions in the Federal District, with noiselevels above 85 dB (A), carried out in 2007. Objective: to determine the prevalence of hearing alterations as well as therising of indicators of NIHL, to identify the perception of a high sound for the individual, and to verify the presence oftinnitus in that population. The sample was composed by 292 workers that made evaluations of the hearing thresholdpreceded by anamnesis. It was observed that 46% present some type of hearing loss and that 37.33%, presence of tinnitus.The Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and the worker’s age are predictor variables of the tinnitus, and the higher the degree ofhearing loss and the worker’s age, the higher will be the perception of the symptom. This study points to the need ofworking with preventive actions as well as guidance regarding the high level of sound or noise in the work environment.