Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Mental Health, N-0403 Oslo, Norway.
Scand J Work Environ Health. 2010 May;36(3):250-7. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.2887. Epub 2009 Dec 18.
We studied the effect of occupation on hearing and if it remained after adjustment for noise exposure, education, income, and other risk factors.
Audiometry and a questionnaire concerning exposure was administered to a general adult population sample in Norway (N=49,948). Information on occupation, education, and income was obtained from population census registers.
Occupation had marked effects on hearing loss. Occupation explained 2-3% of the variance in hearing loss among men > or =45 years in addition to the hearing loss due to age (10-19%). Occupation explained < or =1% of hearing loss among women of all ages and young men. Controlling for self-reported occupational noise exposure reduced the occupational effect by 20-40% in men > or =45 years. Controlling for leisure-time noise, ear infections, and head injuries did not change the effect of occupation, which was slightly reduced after controlling for education and income. The most elevated hearing thresholds in men were observed among: wood workers; miners; linemen and cable jointers; construction carpenters and workers; seamen; and workshop mechanics.
There was a moderate association between occupation and hearing loss. Unbiased estimates of occupational hearing loss may help identify high-risk occupations, for which interventions are needed, and identify individuals with hearing loss.
我们研究了职业对听力的影响，以及在调整噪声暴露、教育、收入和其他风险因素后是否仍然存在这种影响。
在挪威，对一个普通成年人群体样本（N=49948）进行了听力测试和一份有关暴露的问卷。职业、教育和收入的信息来自人口普查登记册。
职业对听力损失有显著影响。除了年龄（10-19%）引起的听力损失外，职业还解释了 45 岁以上男性听力损失的 2-3%。职业对所有年龄段的女性和年轻男性的听力损失解释<或=1%。在控制了自我报告的职业性噪声暴露后，45 岁以上男性的职业影响降低了 20-40%。控制了闲暇时间噪声、耳部感染和头部损伤后，职业的影响没有改变，在控制了教育和收入后，这种影响略有降低。男性听力阈值最高的职业包括：木工；矿工；电线工人和电缆接头工；建筑木工和工人；海员；车间机械师。
职业与听力损失之间存在中度关联。职业性听力损失的无偏估计可能有助于识别高风险职业，以便采取干预措施，并识别听力损失患者。
