The Relation between Hearing Loss and Smoking among Workers Exposed to Noise, Using Linear Mixed Models

Document Type : Original

Authors

1 Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

2 Neurology Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

3 Department of Occupational Health, Faculty of Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

4 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medical, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction:
Noise is one of the most common and harmful physical factors in the working environment and has physical and psychological effects on individuals. In this study, the audiometry results of industrial workers were modeled and the effect of noise and other factors on hearing loss was examined.
 
Materials and Methods:                                                                                                
This was a longitudinal study based on the records of workers who had worked over 10 years in the industry and had recorded audiometries since their employment. Data was analyzed through linear mixed models.
 
Results:
During each year of noise exposure, hearing loss was 1.9 db at 4000 Hz; 0.059 in low frequencies and 0.62 db in high frequencies. At 8000 Hz the effect of the age at employment on hearing loss was significant (P=0.014). At low frequencies the interaction of smoking and age at employment was significantly related to hearing loss (P˂0.001).
 
Conclusion:
This study showed that despite acquaintance with safety measures, workers still face hearing loss in industry and employers should put workers under more surveillance for using protective gear. Smoking might be another risk factor for hearing loss.

Keywords

References

  1. Behnoodi Z. Environmental Health and Safety. 2004, 2nd edition. Tehran: Boshra Publishers.
  2. Valipour Marghamlaki E, Abedi K, Rahiminejad M, Soltani Zamani M, Jalali J. Rates of hearing loss employees of Shahid Beheshti Airport of Isfahan. Proceeding of National symposium of Noise, Health and Development, Kashan; Iran, 2003.
  3. Bagheri Hosseinabadi M, Khanjani N, Münzel T, Daiber A, Yaghmorloo M. Chronic Occupational Noise Exposure: Effects on DNA Damage, Blood Pressure, and Serum Biochemistry. Mutat Res, 2019. 841: p. 17-22.
  4. Ghotbi MR, Khanjani N, Barkhordari A, Rahimi Moghadam S, Mozaffari A, Gozashti MH. Changes in urinary catecholamines in response to noise exposure in workers at Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex, Kerman, Iran. Environ Monit Assess, 2013. 185(11): p. 8809-14.
  5. Rahimi Moghadam S, Laiegh Tizabi MN, Khanjani N, Emkani M, Taghavi Manesh V, Mohammadi AA, et al. Noise pollution and sleep disturbance among Neyshabur Hospital staff, Iran (2015). J Occup Health Epidemiol, 2018. 7(1): p. 53-64.
  6. Bagheri Hosseinabadi M, Khanjani N, Ebrahimi MH, Mirbadie SR, Biganeh J. The effects of industrial noise exposure on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes among workers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health, 2019. 92(7): p. 1041-46.
  7. Franks JR, Stephenson MR, Merry CJ. Preventing occupational hearing loss: a practical guide: US Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Biomedical and Behavioral Science, Physical Agents Effects Branch; 1996.
  8. Cantley LF, Galusha D, Cullen MR, Dixon-Ernst C, Rabinowitz PM, Neitzel RL. Association between ambient noise exposure, hearing acuity, and risk of acute occupational injury. Scand J Work Environ Health, 2015. 41(1): p. 75-83.
  9. Mirmohamadi J, Babahaji Meybodi F, Nourani F. Hearing Threshold Level in workers of Meybod Tile Factory. J Shahid Sadoughi Uni Med Sci, 2008. 16(1): p. 8-13.
  10. Ghotbi MR, Monazzam MR, Khanjani N, Halvani GH, Salmani Nodoushan M, Jafari Nodoushan R. Survey of noise exposure and permanent hearing loss among Shadris spinning factory workers of Yazd using Task Base Method (TBM). Iran Occup Health, 2011. 8(3): p. 32-38.
  11. Ghotbi Ravandi MR, Nadri F, Khanjani N, Ahmadian M. Occupational noise exposure among the workers of Kerman Cement Plant, 2009. J Occup Health and Epidemiol, 2012. 1(1): p. 17-23.
  12. Scandari A, Jafari Mansoorian H, Mashkori A, Ahmadli Z, Khanjani N, Norzaee S, et al. Evaluation of noise pollution in small workshops in Qom, Iran; and its situation compared to national noise standards. Arch Hygiene Sci, 2018. 7(3): p. 157-64.
  13. Halvani G, Zare M, Barkhourdari A. Noise induced hearing loss among textile workers of Taban factories in Yazd. J Birjand Uni Medical Science, 2009. 15(4): p. 69-75.
  14. Golmohammadi R, Amjad Sardrudi H, Dormohammadi A, Musavi S. Study of occupational noise - induced hearing loss in a tractor manufacturing plant. Occup Med Quart J, 2013. 4(3): p. 28-33.
  15. Shafeghat A, Yazdani AA, Gholami R. Assessment, control and reduction of noise pollution in Mazandaran wood and paper industries's wood Chips production area. Iran South Med J, 2013. 16(5): p. 311-9.
  16. Behar A, Chasin M, Cheesman M. Noise control: a primer: Singular Publishing Group; San Diego, CA, 2000.
  17. Neghab M, Maddahi M, Rajaeefard AR. Hearing impairment and hypertension associated with long term occupational exposure to noise. Iran Red Cres Med J, 2009. 11(2): p. 160-5.
  18. Daneshi A. Modern Clinical Audiology. 1st edition, Tehran: Danesh Faryar 2006.
  19. Davis CS. Statistical methods for the analysis of repeated measurements: Springer Science & Business Media; 2002.
  20. Fox J. Linear mixed models. Appendix to emphAn R and S-PLUS Companion to Applied Regression, 2002.
  21. Ferrite S, Santana V. Joint effects of smoking, noise exposure and age on hearing loss. Occup Med, 2005. 55(1): p. 48-53.
  22. Faramarzi A, Kaviani M, Sadeghi Hassanabadi A. Prevalence of noise induced hearing loss in employees in Shiraz industrial factories. Med J Islamic Republic Iran. 2006; 20(1): p. 49-51.
  23. Mahram M, Shoghli A, Niknam M, Hasani Z, Fehresti M, Motalebi S. Hearing loss in the workers of noise-polluted factories in Zanjan, 2002. J Adv Med Biomed Res, 2004. 12 (49) : p. 44-49.
  24. Dhar U, Sood A. Effect of Age and Sex on Hearing by Pure Tone Audiometry. JK Science, 2013. 15(4): p. 189-93.
  25. Ebrahimzadeh M, Halvani G, Foroughinasab F, Jafari Nadoushan R. Evaluation of the Hearing State of Workers of a Uranium Mine in Central Region of Iran. Occup Med, 2011. 3(3): p. 32-8.
  26. Rogha M, Amiri Davan M, Abtahi SH, Sonbolestan SM, Abtahi SM. Early Detection of Noise Induced Hearing Loss by Extended High Frequency Audiometery. J Isfahan Med School, 2007. 25(85): p. 16-22.
  27. Berjis N, Soheilipoor S, Pourabdian S, Akbari S. Evaluating the Relative Frequency or Hearing Loss on Heavy Vehicles Drivers, 2011. 28(120): p. 1471-6.
  28. Banan R, Jalali MM, Heidarzadeh A, Mehrdad SM, Ruhi Sefid Mazgi R, Bakhshi F. Effect of dyslipidemia on noise induced hearing loss. Razi J Med Sci, 2012. 18(92): p. 42-48.
  29. Strauss S, Swanepoel DW, Becker P, Eloff Z, Hall JW. Noise and age-related hearing loss: A study of 40 123 gold miners in South Africa. Int J Audiol, 2014. 53(Suppl 2): S66-S75.
  30. Leensen MC, Dreschler WA. Longitudinal changes in hearing threshold levels of noise-exposed construction workers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health, 2015. 88(1): p. 45-60.
  31. Loukzadeh Z, Foroughinasab F, Saranjam B, Shojaaddiny Ardekani A, Soltani R. Evaluation of relationship between noise-induced hearing loss with age and work duration in tile industry. Occup Med, 2011. 3(2): p. 24-30.
  32. Hong OS, Kim MJ. Factors associated with hearing loss among workers of the airline industry in Korea. ORL Head Neck Nurs, 2001. 19(1): p. 7-13.
  33. Palmer KT, Griffin MJ, Syddall HE, Davis A, Pannett B, Coggon D. Occupational exposure to noise and the attributable burden of hearing difficulties in Great Britain. Occup Environ Med, 2002. 59(9): p. 634-9.
  34. Labbafinejad Y, Mohammadi S, Attarchi M, Aghilinejad M. Hearing impairment due to cigarette smoking and simultaneous exposure to occupational noise. Med J Islamic Republic Iran, 2010. 24(2): p. 72-8.
  35. Mizoue T, Miyamoto T, Shimizu T. Combined effect of smoking and occupational exposure to noise on hearing loss in steel factory workers. Occup Environ Med, 2003. 60(1): p. 56-9.
  36. Starck J, Toppila E, Pyykkö I. Smoking as a risk factor in sensory neural hearing loss among workers exposed to occupational noise. Acta Otolaryngol, 1999. 119(3): p. 302-5.
  37. Kang GH, Uhm JY, Choi YG, Kang EK, Kim SY, Choo WO, et al. Environmental exposure of heavy metal (lead and cadmium) and hearing loss: data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES 2010–2013). Ann Occup Environ Med, 2018. 30(1): p. 22.

 

 

Iranian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology
Volume 32, Issue 1 - Serial Number 108
January and February 2020
Pages 11-20

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics