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Noise-induced Hearing Loss in Construction Workers Being Assessed for Hand-arm Vibration Syndrome

  • Quantitative Research
  • Published:
Canadian Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Construction workers are at risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) but often have no periodic audiometric testing.

Methods

The participants were construction workers assessed for Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) at the Occupational Health Clinic, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario. Audiometry was offered and 169 of the 191 workers assessed for HAVS agreed to have the audiometric test. The objective was to examine the prevalence of hearing loss in these 169 workers and to determine the effect on hearing of duration of work in construction (as a proxy for noise exposure) and the severity of vibration white finger (VWF) which previous studies have suggested is a marker for increased individual susceptibility for NIHL. VWF was measured by the Stockholm vascular scale.

Results

All participants were men, median age of 57 (range: 28-75), median number of years worked in construction of 35 (range: 4-52). All of the Spearman rank correlations between years worked in construction and the hearing levels at each audiometric frequency were statistically significant (p<0.001). Overall, 31 (18.3%) participants had hearing loss at or above the level at which a workers’ compensation pension would be granted in Ontario and the prevalence of this auditory outcome had a statistically significant increase as years worked in construction increased. Multivariate linear regression indicated that VWF also had a statistically significant effect on hearing loss for all audiometric frequencies combined after controlling for years worked in construction.

Conclusion

Improved prevention of hearing loss in construction workers is needed.

Résumé

Contexte

Les travailleurs du bâtiment courent un risque de perte d’audition due au bruit (PADB), mais souvent ne se soumettent pas à des examens audiométriques périodiques.

Méthode

Les participants étaient des travailleurs du bâtiment évalués pour le syndrome vibratoire main-bras (SVMB) à la clinique de santé au travail de l’hôpital St. Michael de Toronto, en Ontario. Nous leur avons proposé un examen audiométrique, et 169 des 191 travailleurs évalués pour le SVMB ont accepté. Notre objectif était de déterminer la prévalence de la perte auditive chez ces 169 travailleurs, l’effet sur l’ouïe de la durée du travail dans l’industrie du bâtiment (variable substitutive à l’exposition au bruit) et la gravité du syndrome du doigt mort (SDM), lequel, selon des études antérieures, pourrait être un indicateur de susceptibilité individuelle accrue pour la PADB. Nous avons mesuré le SDM selon l’échelle de Stockholm pour les symptômes vasculaires.

Résultats

Tous les participants étaient des hommes d’âge médian de 57 ans (intervalle: 28-75) ayant travaillé 35 ans (nombre médian) dans l’industrie du bâtiment (intervalle: 4-52). Toutes les corrélations des rangs de Spearman entre les années de travail dans le bâtiment et le niveau d’ouïe à chaque fréquence audiométrique étaient significatives (p<0,001). Dans l’ensemble, 31 participants (18,3 %) avaient une perte auditive supérieure ou égale au niveau auquel l’Ontario accorde une rente accident du travail, et la prévalence de cette perte auditive augmentait de façon significative avec les années de travail dans le bâtiment. Une régression linéaire multivariée a aussi montré un effet significatif du SDM sur la perte auditive pour toutes les fréquences audiométriques combinées, en tenant compte des années de travail dans le bâtiment.

Conclusion

Il faut améliorer la prévention de la perte auditive chez les travailleurs du bâtiment.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Ronald A. House MD,CM, MSc, FRCPC

  2. Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Ronald A. House MD,CM, MSc, FRCPC

  3. Medical student, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    John T. Sauvé BScH

  4. Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Depeng Jiang PhD

Authors
  1. Ronald A. House MD,CM, MSc, FRCPC
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  2. John T. Sauvé BScH
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  3. Depeng Jiang PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ronald A. House MD,CM, MSc, FRCPC.

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Conflict of Interest: None to declare.

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House, R.A., Sauvé, J.T. & Jiang, D. Noise-induced Hearing Loss in Construction Workers Being Assessed for Hand-arm Vibration Syndrome. Can J Public Health 101, 226–229 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404378

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404378

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