الفهرس يوجد فقط 14 صفحة متاحة للعرض العام
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المستخلص
A very large number of noise exposed workers suffer from noise induced hearing loss. Workplace noise is a well recognized occupational hazard and is subject to various controls and checks. Control of this hazard might be further improved if factors that modify susceptibility to noise and which place noise exposed workers at increased risk of NIHL could be identified.
A cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the relationship between noise induced hearing loss and a number of individual risk factors among workers chronically exposed to continuous noise in a textile factory. We chose Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking and ototoxic drugs intake from a number of other risk factors that were considered by previous studies to contribute to increased susceptibility to noise induced hearing loss. OM. hypertension and smoking derive their importance from being widely spread and increasing among the general population including workers to the extent of being considered as public health problem.
The study involved 680 male workers exposed to continuous noise in the weaving and spinning wards of a textile factory in Alexandria. The average noise level in these units , ranged between 85-95 dB(A) as measured by sound level meter during our field work.
The whole sample (680 workers) was subjected to an interviewer administered questionnaire which was modified based on the literature review on noise-induced hearing loss, in order to obtain a complete history relevant to hearing and its relation to the selected risk factors. A detailed medical history was obtained from each worker, stressing on history of OM, high blood pressure and intake of ototoxic medications. Smoking habits were also inquired about in details. Clinical examination was also performed with special emphasis on blood pressure measurement. All subjects were subjected to pure tone audiometry in a quiet room to diagnose cases of noise induced hearing loss.
Analysis of these data revealed that there is a significant association between smoking and development of NIHL as the prevalence of NIHL was significantly higher among smokers than non-smokers who were exposed to the same noise levels. Moreover, there was a dose response relationship between smoking and NIHL, as increased intensity of smoking (as indicated by number of cigarettes smoked daily) as well as total smoking exposure (as indicated by Brinkman Index) was associated with increased risk of NIHL.
Diabetes mellitus as well as hypertension contributed significantly to increased risk of developing NIHL. The prevalence of noise induced hearing loss was significantly higher among diabetics than non diabetics, and the same thing applied to workers with high blood pressure.
<l On the other hand, there \vas no significant association between regular excessive intake of neither salicylates nor streptomycin and the development of NIHL. As expected, there was a highly significant association between NIHL and the duration of employment in the noisy job as well as the level of exposure as regards intensity of noise to which th~ employers have been exposed.