Association between noise annoyance and hearing loss caused by chronic exposure to noise among the workers of an automotive industry

Alimohammadi, Iraj; Ahmadi kanrash, Fakhradin; Abolghasemi, Jamileh; Vosoughi, Shahram; Rahmani, Kazem; Hossein Chalak, Mohammad; Anbari, Mohammad · 2019 · Crossref

DOI: 10.15761/tim.1000203

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

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Summary

This study investigates the relationship between noise annoyance and hearing loss among workers in the automotive industry who are chronically exposed to occupational noise. Motivated by the known physiological and psychological consequences of workplace noise, including noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and reduced quality of life, the research aims to determine if hearing impairment correlates with increased annoyance levels. The authors posit that hearing loss may lead to negative attitudes toward noisy environments, fear of sound, and reluctance to work in high-noise settings, thereby exacerbating psychological distress. The researchers conducted a descriptive-analytical study in 2017 involving 250 workers from an automotive factory. From an initial pool of 300 randomly selected workers, 50 were excluded due to pre-existing organic hearing diseases, leaving two groups: 106 workers exposed to sound pressure levels below 85 dB and 144 workers exposed to levels above 85 dB. Hearing levels were assessed using tonal audiometry (air conduction) at eight standard frequencies (250–8000 Hz) via a DANPLEX-AS54 audiometer. Noise annoyance was measured using a questionnaire with an 11-point numerical scale. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22, employing Pearson correlation coefficients to evaluate the relationship between hearing levels and annoyance, and independent t-tests and repeated measures to compare hearing loss across exposure groups. The results demonstrated a significant positive relationship between noise annoyance and hearing loss. Specifically, Pearson correlation analysis revealed significant associations between annoyance and hearing levels at frequencies of 2000, 4000, and 8000 Hz in the left ear, and 6000 Hz in the right ear (P < 0.001). Additionally, a significant relationship was found between annoyance and NIHL in the left ear and general hearing conditions for both ears (P < 0.001). Comparisons between the low-exposure (<85 dB) and high-exposure (>85 dB) groups showed significant differences in hearing thresholds at various frequencies, particularly in the right ear at 250, 500, 2000, 3000, 4000, and 6000 Hz, and in the left ear at 500 and 2000 Hz. Demographic factors such as age, work experience, education, and marital status did not show significant differences between the groups. The study concludes that there is a significant positive correlation between noise annoyance and hearing loss, indicating that the likelihood of annoyance increases with the incidence of hearing impairment. The findings suggest that hearing loss contributes to negative psychosocial outcomes, including fear of noisy environments and reduced work accuracy. The authors acknowledge limitations, including the cross-sectional design and the lack of gender-specific analysis, cautioning against generalizing results to the general population. The research underscores the importance of addressing both the auditory and psychological impacts of chronic noise exposure in occupational health settings.

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