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Noisy jobs responsible for substantial burden of hearing problems in Britain
August 30, 2002Noise at work is responsible for severe hearing difficulties in 153,000 men and 26,000 women in Great Britain, finds a study in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
A questionnaire was sent to 22,194 randomly selected adults of working age. Information was collected on years of employment in a noisy job; and whether the respondent wore a hearing aid, had difficulty in hearing conversation, or had experienced persistent tinnitus (ringing, buzzing, or whistling in the head or ears) over the past year.
Some 2% (210 subjects) reported severe hearing difficulties (wearing a hearing aid or having great difficulty in both ears in hearing conversation in a quiet room). The problem was greatest in middle aged men and tinnitus was even more common.
The pattern was similar in women, but severe hearing loss was only about half as prevalent in the oldest age band.
Risk of severe hearing difficulty and persistent tinnitus rose with years spent in a noisy job. The authors estimate that occupational noise exposure is responsible for an estimated 153,000 men and 26,000 women with severe hearing difficulties in the 35-64 age band in Great Britain, as well as a considerable burden of disease from persistent tinnitus.
“Our observations highlight the public health impact of occupational exposure to noise and the need for close attention to preventive measures,” they conclude.
British Medical Journal (BMJ)
The pattern was similar in women, but severe hearing loss was only about half as prevalent in the oldest age band.
Risk of severe hearing difficulty and persistent tinnitus rose with years spent in a noisy job. The authors estimate that occupational noise exposure is responsible for an estimated 153,000 men and 26,000 women with severe hearing difficulties in the 35-64 age band in Great Britain, as well as a considerable burden of disease from persistent tinnitus.
“Our observations highlight the public health impact of occupational exposure to noise and the need for close attention to preventive measures,” they conclude.
British Medical Journal (BMJ)
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