Quantitative levels of noise exposure and 20-year hearing decline: findings from a prospective cohort study (the HUNT Study).
Int J Audiol
; : 1-9, 2022 Nov 18.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36399098
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the association between occupational noise exposure and long-term hearing decline. DESIGN: This prospective cohort study used linear regression to investigate the association between occupational noise exposure and 20-year hearing decline, adjusted for important confounders. STUDY SAMPLE: The Norwegian cohort (N = 4,448) participated in two population-based health studies with pure-tone audiometry; HUNT2 1996-1998 and HUNT4 2017-2019. Exposure assessments included a quantitative job exposure matrix (JEM) and questionnaires. RESULTS: The participants (40.2% men, 20-39 years at baseline) had a mean 20-year decline (3-6 kHz) of 11.3 ± 9.8 decibels (dB). There was a positive association between 20-year logarithmic average noise level (JEM-based, LEX,20y) and 20-year hearing decline among men. Compared with no exposure ≥80 dB during follow-up, minimum 5 years of exposure ≥85 dB (JEM-based) predicted 2.6 dB (95% CI: 0.2-5.0) larger 20-year decline for workers aged 30-39 years at baseline, and -0.2 dB (95% CI: -2.2 to 1.7) for workers aged 20-29 years. Combining JEM information with self-reported noise exposure data resulted in stronger associations. CONCLUSION: This large longitudinal study shows an association between JEM-based noise exposure level and increased 20-year hearing decline among men. Contrary to expectations, the associations were weaker among younger workers, which might reflect a latency period.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Etiology_studies
/
Observational_studies
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Prognostic_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Int J Audiol
Assunto da revista:
AUDIOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2022
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Noruega