Reddy Ravi K, Welch David, Thorne Peter, Ameratunga Shanthi
Section of Audiology, School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Noise Health. 2012 Jul-Aug;14(59):202-9. doi: 10.4103/1463-1741.99896.
Occupational noise is a significant contributor to disabling hearing loss worldwide. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) has resulted in huge human and economic consequences costing New Zealand approximately $53M annually and rising. A high proportion of hearing loss claims are made by workers in the manufacturing sector. Hearing protection devices (HPDs) are used together with engineering and administrative controls to minimize noise exposure and to prevent hearing loss. Unfortunately, inconsistent and improper use of HPDs has hindered efforts to prevent NIHL. The purpose of this study was to understand the factors that influence the use of HPDs amongst a group of manufacturing workers in New Zealand. A purposive sample of twenty-five workers was recruited to take part in semi-structured interviews. The open-ended questions were aimed at exploring the participants' knowledge, attitude, beliefs, and behavior towards noise and HPDs. The data were analyzed using conventional content analysis and key themes emerged in relation to HPD use. Themes that emerged from the interviews either supported good hearing protection behavior or acted as barriers against it. Five major themes, (perception of noise, hearing preservation, reluctance to use HPDs, workplace interaction, and value of hearing) and sub-themes described various factors that influence hearing protection use. Both personal and environmental factors influence the use of HPDs. Based on this study, personal and environmental factors need to be targeted for further research using ecological models to develop interventions that promote HPD use amongst workers.
职业噪声是全球导致失聪性听力损失的一个重要因素。噪声性听力损失（NIHL）已造成巨大的人力和经济后果，新西兰每年为此花费约5300万新西兰元，且这一数字还在上升。很大一部分听力损失索赔是由制造业工人提出的。听力保护装置（HPDs）与工程和管理控制措施一起使用，以尽量减少噪声暴露并预防听力损失。不幸的是，HPDs使用的不一致和不当阻碍了预防NIHL的努力。本研究的目的是了解影响新西兰一群制造业工人使用HPDs的因素。招募了25名工人的目的样本参与半结构化访谈。开放式问题旨在探索参与者对噪声和HPDs的知识、态度、信念和行为。使用传统内容分析法对数据进行分析，并出现了与HPDs使用相关的关键主题。访谈中出现的主题要么支持良好的听力保护行为，要么成为其障碍。五个主要主题（对噪声的认知、听力保护、不愿使用HPDs、工作场所互动和听力价值）及其子主题描述了影响听力保护使用的各种因素。个人和环境因素都会影响HPDs的使用。基于本研究，需要利用生态模型针对个人和环境因素进行进一步研究，以制定促进工人使用HPDs的干预措施。
