Noise-induced hearing loss and combined noise and vibration exposure. 2015

A Turcot, and S A Girard, and M Courteau, and J Baril, and R Larocque
Institut national de santé publique du Québec, 945 avenue Wolfe, Québec G1V 5B3, Canada. alice_turcot@ssss.gouv.qc.ca.

BACKGROUND While there is a wide body of literature addressing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) independently, relatively few studies have considered the combined effects of noise and vibration. These studies have suggested an increased risk of NIHL in workers with vibration white finger (VWF), though the relationship remains poorly understood. OBJECTIVE To determine whether hearing impairment is worse in noise-exposed workers with VWF than in workers with similar noise exposures but without VWF. METHODS The Quebec National Institute of Public Health audiometric database was used in conjunction with work-related accident and occupational diseases data from the Quebec workers' compensation board to analyse differences in audiometry results between vibration-exposed workers in the mining and forestry industries and the overall source population, and between mining and forestry workers with documented VWF and those without VWF. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 7029 standards were used to calculate hearing loss not attributable to age. RESULTS 15751 vibration-exposed workers were identified in an overall source population of 59339. Workers with VWF (n = 96) had significantly worse hearing at every frequency studied (500, 1000, 2000 4000 Hz) compared with other mining and forestry workers without VWF. CONCLUSIONS This study confirms previous findings of greater hearing loss at higher frequencies in workers with VWF, but also found a significant difference in hearing loss at low frequencies. It therefore supports the association between combined noise and hand-arm vibration (HAV) exposure and NIHL.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009623 Noise, Occupational Noise present in occupational, industrial, and factory situations. Occupational Noise,Noises, Occupational,Occupational Noises
D009784 Occupational Diseases Diseases caused by factors involved in one's employment. Diseases, Occupational,Occupational Illnesses,Disease, Occupational,Illnesse, Occupational,Illnesses, Occupational,Occupational Disease,Occupational Illnesse
D011792 Quebec A province of eastern Canada. Its capital is Quebec. The region belonged to France from 1627 to 1763 when it was lost to the British. The name is from the Algonquian quilibek meaning the place where waters narrow, referring to the gradually narrowing channel of the St. Lawrence or to the narrows of the river at Cape Diamond. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p993 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p440)
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001299 Audiometry The testing of the acuity of the sense of hearing to determine the thresholds of the lowest intensity levels at which an individual can hear a set of tones. The frequencies between 125 and 8000 Hz are used to test air conduction thresholds and the frequencies between 250 and 4000 Hz are used to test bone conduction thresholds. Audiometries
D014732 Vibration A continuing periodic change in displacement with respect to a fixed reference. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Vibrations
D014942 Workers' Compensation Insurance coverage providing compensation and medical benefits to individuals because of work-connected injuries or disease. Workmen's Compensation,Worker's Compensation,Workman's Compensation,Compensation, Worker's,Compensation, Workers',Compensation, Workman's,Compensation, Workmen's,Compensations, Worker's,Compensations, Workers',Compensations, Workman's,Compensations, Workmen's,Worker Compensation,Worker's Compensations,Workers Compensation,Workers' Compensations,Workman Compensation,Workman's Compensations,Workmans Compensation,Workmen Compensation,Workmen's Compensations,Workmens Compensation
D016273 Occupational Exposure The exposure to potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents that occurs as a result of one's occupation. Exposure, Occupational,Exposures, Occupational,Occupational Exposures
D034381 Hearing Loss A general term for the complete or partial loss of the ability to hear from one or both ears. Deafness, Transitory,Hearing Impairment,Hearing Loss, Transitory,Hypoacusis,Transitory Hearing Loss,Deafnesses, Transitory,Hypoacuses,Loss, Hearing,Loss, Transitory Hearing,Transitory Deafness,Transitory Deafnesses,Transitory Hearing Losses

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