Solecki Leszek
Department of Physical Occupational Hazards, Institute of Agricultural Medicine, Lublin, Poland.
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2002;9(2):157-62.
The study covered a group of 128 private farmers aged 28-65 (mean age 47.2) who had a period of occupational activity of 11-40 years (23.9 years average). The evaluation of hearing capability was based on 2 calculated values: PTA (mean from frequency: 0.5; 1; 2 and 3 kHz) and HFA (mean from 3; 4; and 6 kHz). Statistically significant differences in mean hearing loss were observed between the 2 groups in the study: farmers-control group (p < 0.001). The value of 20 dB was adopted as a criterion of the deterioration of hearing. This criterion was exceeded in 78% of farmers examined--within the range of high frequencies (HFA), and in 45 % of farmers within the range of medium frequencies (PTA). In the control group, abnormal hearing loss was noted in 17% of people only for mean HFA value. In the group of farmers a significant correlation was noted between hearing loss (PTA and HFA) and age, as well as period of occupational activity. It was statistically confirmed that the most significant decrease in hearing occurred during the age interval up to the age of 50 and during the period of occupational activity of up to 30 years. The results of the study confirmed that noise present in the agricultural environment is the primary cause of the decrease in hearing among private farmers.
该研究涵盖了128名年龄在28至65岁（平均年龄47.2岁）的个体农民，他们的职业活动时长为11至40年（平均23.9年）。听力能力评估基于两个计算值：PTA（频率0.5、1、2和3千赫兹的平均值）和HFA（3、4和6千赫兹的平均值）。研究中的两组之间观察到平均听力损失存在统计学显著差异：农民组与对照组（p < 0.001）。采用20分贝的值作为听力恶化的标准。在接受检查的农民中，78%在高频范围（HFA）内、45%在中频范围（PTA）内超过了该标准。在对照组中，仅平均HFA值时，17%的人存在异常听力损失。在农民组中，听力损失（PTA和HFA）与年龄以及职业活动时长之间存在显著相关性。经统计学证实，听力下降最显著的情况发生在50岁及以下年龄段以及30年及以下的职业活动期间。研究结果证实，农业环境中的噪音是个体农民听力下降的主要原因。
