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At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Chronic effects of workplace noise on blood pressure and heart rate.

Environmental noise levels in the United States are increasing, yet there are few studies in which the nonauditory effects of workplace noise are assessed. In the current study, the authors examined chronic effects of noise on blood pressure and heart rate in 374 workers at an automobile plant. Data were collected from subjects prior to the start of their workshift. Participants completed questionnaires about diet, alcohol use, lifestyle, noise annoyance, use of hearing protection, noise exposure outside of the work environment, personal and family health histories, and demographic information. Resting blood pressure, heart rate, and body mass index were obtained. Noise exposure levels were extracted retrospectively from company records for each participant for the past 5 yr. Summary statistics were generated for each variable, and the authors performed bivariate correlations to identify any unadjusted associations. The authors then completed statistical modeling to investigate the effects of noise on blood pressure and heart rate, after they controlled for other variables (e.g., gender, race, age). The authors controlled for confounding variables, after which use of hearing protection in high-noise areas was a significant predictor of a decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures. The results suggested that the reduction of noise exposure by means of engineering controls or by consistent use of hearing protection by workers may positively affect health outcomes.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Database for a hearing conservation program.

We have developed a database and an analysis program (NoiseScan) for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). The exposure data are based on the evaluation of the noise immission level, which includes duration, frequency content, and the use of, and the attenuation performance of, hearing protectors. The input data can handle an unlimited number of exposure periods. If the noise exposure level is not known, the program lists noise levels of comparable work places, and thus provides an estimate of exposure. Confounding medical factors that may contribute to NIHL, such as elevated serum cholesterol level, hypertension, and extensive use of pain killers, are collected. Combined exposure to agents that clearly contribute to NIHL, such as hand-arm vibration, tobacco smoking, use of aminoglycosides and exposure to solvents are also assessed. An unlimited number of audiograms can be stored, and all the data can be completed and edited following collection. The program gives the predicted hearing loss according to the ISO 1999 model based on total exposure. At present, our NoiseScan program (under continuous development in an EU research program) is suitable for the data collection of various risk factors. It can be used to determine whether the hearing loss is occupational in origin and to estimate the efficiency of hearing conservation measures. NoiseScan also predicts the development of hearing loss in individuals in 5-year periods. The goal is to improve and validate the rules by which single and combined risk factors contribute to HIHL, thus leading to more precise prediction of individual hearing loss, and for the evaluation of success of the hearing conservation programs.

Audiometry↗
PubMed2001

Active noise reduction in aviation helmets during a military jet trainer test flight.

Cockpit noise measurements were carried out in a two-seat jet trainer. For the continuous time and frequency analyses a two-channel tape-recording system was constructed of two miniature microphones connected through an amplifier to a digital tape-recorder. The analysed and averaged noise exposure including radio communication was 80-81 dB when the ANC system was on and 84-89 dB when the ANC system was off. For the conventional flight helmet the same noise exposure was 86 dB, and the noise exposure in the cockpit was 104-106 dB. The effect of the ANC system on the averaged noise exposure (L(Aeq8min)) was an improvement of 4-8 dB over the noise attenuation of the same helmets when the ANC system was off. Both ANC systems worked properly during the test flights. No severe ringing or voice circulation was found except during extreme vibration.

Aircraft↗
PubMed2000

The effects of hearing protectors on auditory localization: evidence from audio-visual target acquisition.

Response times (RT) in an audio-visual target acquisition task were collected from 3 participants while wearing either circumaural earmuffs, foam earplugs, or no hearing protection. Analyses revealed that participants took significantly longer to locate and identify an audio-visual target in both hearing protector conditions than they did in the unoccluded condition, suggesting a disturbance of the cues used by listeners to localize sounds in space. RTs were significantly faster in both hearing protector conditions than in a non-audio control condition, indicating that auditory localization was not completely disrupted. Results are discussed in terms of safety issues involved with wearing hearing protectors in an occupational environment.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Signal recognition and hearing protectors with normal and impaired hearing.

Recognition of acoustic signals when perception is subject to interference from noise has already been extensively studied. In this study the influence of hearing protectors (HP) (plugs, muffs) and hearing loss on signal recognition is examined. Different spectrums and levels of the noise are also included. The test results are shown as the masked threshold for the signals heard and identified. In the case of normally hearing subjects a frequency-independent HP (plug) improves hearing performance, while frequency-dependent HP (muffs) tends to worsen it, especially with low-frequency noise. Hearing losses even worsen hearing performance when plugs are worn. Design suggestions are made to optimise signal recognition. Minimum signal-to-noise ratio and the use of HP are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Characteristics of acute acoustical trauma in the Finnish Defence Forces.

In spite of strict safety regulations concerning firearm shooting, several hundred conscripts still suffer acute acoustical trauma (AAT) in the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) every year, resulting in symptoms such as tinnitus and/or hearing impairment. The causes leading to AAT, causative weapons and mode and level of hearing protection were analysed to find out why so many AATs still occur in the FDF. The material consisted of 119 patients of the total 163 AAT patients treated at the Central Military Hospital during the year 2000. In 87.5% of cases, the AATs occurred in unprotected ears. The most common causative weapon was the assault rifle. Most of the AATs occurred during combat training in the field. Immediately after the AAT. 46.7% of conscripts had hearing impairment and 94.2% tinnitus. Hearing loss, tinnitus or both were experienced by 45% of conscripts at the last follow-up. Careful planning of training exercises could probably prevent some but not all AATs.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Audiometric testing and hearing protection training through multimedia technology.

The purpose of this paper is to present the development process of a computer-based audiometric testing and tailored intervention program, and assess its feasibility by obtaining users' feedback. The program was implemented for 397 operating engineers at their union training center, and its feasibility was evaluated by obtaining quantitative and qualitative feedback from the participants through a survey and focus group. Over 96% of the participants indicated they liked receiving a hearing test by computer; the computer-based test worked smoothly; and the computer-based training was well organized, effective and held their interests. Almost all (more than 99%) said they would recommend this program to other workers. This project is considered as one of the first ones incorporating multimedia computer technology with self-administered audiometric testing and tailored training. Participants' favorable feedback strongly supported the continued utilization of this approach for designing and developing health screening and intervention to promote healthy behaviors.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

A study of hearing changes among military conscripts in the Swedish Army.

The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence and the relative risk of significant threshold shift (STS, >or=15 dB deterioration at any ear and audiometric frequency) during primary military service (7-9 months), and to investigate whether subjects with an initial slight hearing loss (thresholds>or=25 dB HL at any audiometric frequency and ear) were under increased risk. The investigation was made as a prospective audiometric study and included 747 men. An age-matched group of 138 individuals served as an unexposed control group, whose incidence of STS was 2.9%. In the exposed group the incidence was 7.9% and the relative risk 2.7 risk ratio (RR). In the subgroup of 95 persons, who already at reporting-for-training had a mild hearing loss, the incidence was 17%. The relative risk for STS in this group compared to the control group was 6.8 (RR), and compared to those with normal hearing at reporting was 3.1 (RR). In spite of hearing conservation efforts, hearing deterioration still occurs, above all in the artillery. Those who already at reporting-for-training had a mild hearing loss were at higher risk for STS compared to those with initially normal hearing.

Audiometry, Pure-Tone↗
PubMed2006

Reported hearing protection use in young adults from Sweden and the USA: effects of attitude and gender.

The present study investigates differences between a Swedish and an American sample of young students regarding attitudes towards noise and the use of hearing protection at concerts. The study population was comprised of 179 participants from Sweden and 203 participants from the United States, who ranged in age from 17 to 21 years. Questionnaires were used to gather information on hearing symptoms and attitudes towards noise (Youth Attitude to Noise Scale). Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that attitudes towards noise differed significantly due to gender and country. Men had slightly more positive attitude towards noise than women, and men from the USA had more positive attitudes than men from Sweden. Least positive were the women from Sweden (except regarding attitudes towards the ability to concentrate in noisy environments). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the influence of attitudes towards noise and country on young people's use of hearing protection at concerts. The results indicated that attitudes and country explained 50% of the variance in use of hearing protection.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Noise exposure among construction electricians.

Data-logging noise dosimetry was used to assess the exposure levels of electricians working for a major electrical subcontractor in Washington State at five sites using four types of construction methods. Subjects documented activities and work environment information throughout their work shift, resulting in an activity/exposure record for each of the 174 full-shift samples collected over the 4-month duration of the study. Over 24% of the TWA samples exceeded 85 dBA; 5.2% exceeded the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration permissible exposure limit of 90 dBA. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health exposure metric, which specifies a 3-dB ER, was also utilized; using this metric, 67.8% of the samples exceeded 85 dBA and 27% exceeded 90 dBA. Subjects were directly observed for a subset of 4469 min during which more detailed activity and environmental information was recorded. Linear and logistic regression models using this subset were used to identify the determinants of average exposure, and exposure exceedences, respectively. These models demonstrated the importance of multiple variable modeling in interpreting exposure assessments, and the feasibility and utility of modeling exposure exceedences using logistic regression. The results further showed that presumably quiet trades such as electrician are at risk of exposure to potentially harmful noise exposures, and that other workers' activities and the general environment contribute substantially to that risk. These results indicate that noise control strategies will have to address the construction work environment as an integrated system.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Relative ear protector performance in high vs low sound levels.

The attenuation of one specific ear protector was determined for a group of five normal hearing subjects and a group of five hearing impaired subjects. The hearing impaired group yielded significantly less attentuation than the normal hearing group. Since the measuring sound intensity level was high for the hearing impaired listeners and low for the normal listeners, it appears that a threshold procedure using normal subjects, as presented in the American standard (ANSI S3.19-1974), may overestimate the actual attenuation of ear protectors in most noisy environments.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

An evaluation of the effectiveness of two different insert types of ear protection in preventing TTS in an industrial environment.

The effectiveness of a V-51R insert hearing protector in preventing daily temporary threshold shifts in one industrial environment where the employees were exposed to an A-weighted energy average noise level of 95.6 dB was investigated. For comparison purposes the E-A-R Plug Insert hearing protector was also evaluated. The results indicated that the employees who wore the V-51R design incurred significant daily shifts in their hearing levels as compared to their initial hearing exam and significantly greater shifts than the employees who wore the E-A-R Plugs. The greater than expected measured shifts in hearing levels over the past six years in the two departments investigated is attributed at least partially to the use of the V-51R design.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Comparison of the hearing levels of Nigerian textile workers and a control group.

The comparative auditory performance of 61 industrially exposed male textile workers (noise level, 90 dBA - 115 DBA) and 90 age matched control subgroup was determined by means of a manual Diacoustic As-60 audiometer. The audiograms of both the exposed and control subgroups were convex upwards, indicating that the hearing sensitivity of the Nigerian, black subjects increased with frequency, a finding that is in contrast with that reported elsewhere for white subjects. The impact of ageing on the hearing of both the exposed and control groups was minimal and not statistically significant, supporting an earlier study that found no age related hearing loss among South Sudanese blacks. The impact of noise on the hearing of the subjects was, however, very marked. In each age group and at each frequency, the hearing thresholds of the exposed subjects were significantly higher (0.01 greater than p less than 0.005) than those of the control group. After seven years of continuous employment, the rate of hearing loss attributable to noise, among the exposed group, increased from 2.17 dB to 11.67 dB per year of employment compared to an increase of - 0.64 dB to 1.82 dB in age induced loss per year of age difference in the same group. It seemed the exposed subjects experienced a seven year hearing threshold of 30 dB irrespective of statistically significant differences in age (p less than 0.005) and duration of employment (p less than 0.01) of the groups covered by this period. After this "latency period" the hearing loss increased rapidly.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Hearing protector performance--an update.

A single-number descriptor, the A-weighted sound pressure level, has been used widely during the last 10 years for the assessment of noise exposure levels. Prior to that time octave band levels were the common means for describing noise exposures. Hearing protector noise reduction data have been presented in various ways to facilitate the calculation of exposure levels while wearing hearing protectors. This paper describes both single-number and octave band procedures for presenting hearing protector noise attenuation data and discusses advantages and disadvantages of each.

Auditory Threshold↗
PubMed1982

The application of positive practice overcorrection to the use of hearing protection.

A successful habit-building technique, overcorrection, was extended into an industrial type military setting to increase hearing protection usage among airplane mechanics in a high intensity noise environment. Three natural groups were assigned randomly to three conditions: a standard daily safety lecture group (S) for an attention-Placebo control; a leader-directed overcorrection group (A); and a leader-participative overcorrection group (P). Unobtrusive pre-test baseline observations of hearing protection usage established no significant difference among groups. Overcorrection requires persons not using hearing protection to practice repeatedly putting on protection after their failure is discovered by leaders or coworkers. During the application phase, the overcorrection groups successfully increased hearing protection usage over pre-test usage and in comparison to the Standard group which remained unchanged throughout the study. One of the overcorrection groups approached perfect usage. Members of the P group gave higher preference ratings than A group members. There was a decline toward original usage levels once the test was called off.

Ear Protective Devices↗
PubMed1983

Field investigations of noise reduction afforded by insert-type hearing protectors.

NIOSH conducted field investigations in 1977 and 1981 to determine the actual noise reduction afforded to industrial workers who used insert-type hearing protectors (earplugs) daily. In-situ attenuation tests of 420 workers at 15 industrial plants were conducted to determine the noise reduction provided by earplugs as they were worn during the workday. The workplace results, when compared to manufacturers' best-fit laboratory test results, indicated that 50% of the workers tested were receiving less than one-half the potential attenuation of the earplugs.

Audiometry↗