Hearing loss among workers at an oil refinery in Taiwan.

Publisher: Heldref Publications Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 0212627 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 0003-9896 (Print) Linking ISSN: 00039896 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Arch Environ Health Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: Washington, DC : Heldref Publications
Original Publication: Chicago, American Medical Assn.

Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/*epidemiology ; Noise, Occupational/*adverse effects ; Occupational Diseases/*epidemiology; Adult ; Audiometry ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Humans ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Petroleum ; Population Surveillance ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Taiwan/epidemiology

In this study, the authors determined the characteristics of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and its association with hearing-loss-related symptoms (HLRSs) among workers at an oil refinery in Taiwan. Workers from the refinery (N = 384) who had chronic noise exposure (range = 73 to 89 dBa; mean = 81.2, standard deviation = 5.4 dBa) were enrolled in the study. Workers chronically exposed to noise levels that were less than 85 dBa experienced slight hearing loss at high frequencies [(3k + 4k + 6k)/3]. Workers with > or = 1 HLRSs had increased hearing loss at low frequencies [(0.5k + 1k + 2k)/3] and high frequencies (odds ratios = 7.2 and 3.7, respectively). An increased hearing threshold shift for high frequencies (3k, 4k, and 6k Hz) was found in workers who had chronic noise exposure for more than 15 yr. These findings indicate that self-reported HLRSs provide valuable early warning signs of NIHL.

0 (Petroleum)

Date Created: 20030516 Date Completed: 20030610 Latest Revision: 20220321

20221213

10.3200/AEOH.58.1.55-58

12747520