Department of Environmental Health Science and Technology, Jimma University, PO box 373, Jimma, Ethiopia.
Defense University College of Health Sciences, Bishoftu, Oromia region, Ethiopia.
Sci Rep. 2024 May 10;14(1):10762. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-56977-4.
Excessive occupational exposure to noise results in a well-recognized occupational hearing loss which is prevalent in many workplaces and now it is taken as a global problem. Therefore, this study aims to assess the prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss and associated factors among workers in the Bishoftu Central Air Base in Ethiopia. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 260 central air base workers through face-to-face interviews, an environment noise survey, and an audiometric test for data collection. Data were entered by Epi-data version 3.1 and SPSS was used to analyze the data. Finally, a statistical analysis such as descriptive and binary logistic regression analysis was applied. A P-value < 0.05 at 95% CI was considered statistically significant. The overall prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss and hearing impairments was 24.6 and 30.9%, respectively. The highest prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss was recorded for workers who were exposed to noise levels greater than 90 dBA. Out of 132 workers exposed to the average noise level of 75 dB A, only 5% of workers were affected with noise-induced hearing loss, while 128 workers exposed to an average noise level equal to or greater than 90 dB A, 19.6% of workers were identified with noise-induced hearing loss. Regarding sex, around 21.9% of male workers were identified with noise-induced hearing loss. Workers who were exposed to a high noise level workplace previously or before the Central Air Base workplace were five times (AOR = 5.0, 95% CI 1.74-14.36) more likely affected by noise-induced hearing loss than those workers not previously exposed. Those workers who were exposed to greater or equal to 90dBA noise level were 4.98 times (AOR = 4.98, 95% CI 2.59-9.58) more likely to be exposed to noise-induced levels than those who were exposed to less than 90dBA noise level. Moreover, male air base workers were 3.5 times more likely exposed to hearing impairment than female workers (AOR = 3.5, 95% CI 1.01-12.0). This study identified that the prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss and hearing impairments was significantly high. So implementation of a hearing conservation program, giving noise education, and supplying adequate hearing protective devices (HPDs) are essentials.
职业性噪声暴露过度会导致众所周知的职业性听力损失，这种听力损失在许多工作场所都很普遍，现在已被视为全球性问题。因此，本研究旨在评估埃塞俄比亚比绍夫图中央空军基地工人中噪声性听力损失的患病率及其相关因素。通过面对面访谈、环境噪声调查和听力测试，对 260 名中央空军基地工人进行了基于机构的横断面研究，以收集数据。数据通过 Epi-data 版本 3.1 输入，使用 SPSS 进行数据分析。最后，应用了统计分析，如描述性和二元逻辑回归分析。在 95%置信区间内，P 值<0.05 被认为具有统计学意义。噪声性听力损失和听力障碍的总患病率分别为 24.6%和 30.9%。噪声水平大于 90 dBA 的工人中记录到的噪声性听力损失患病率最高。在暴露于平均噪声水平为 75 dBA 的 132 名工人中，只有 5%的工人受到噪声性听力损失的影响，而在暴露于平均噪声水平等于或大于 90 dBA 的 128 名工人中，19.6%的工人被诊断为噪声性听力损失。关于性别，约 21.9%的男性工人被诊断为噪声性听力损失。与之前未接触过中央空军基地工作场所的工人相比，之前在高噪声工作场所或在中央空军基地工作场所工作过的工人患噪声性听力损失的可能性高出五倍（AOR=5.0，95%CI 1.74-14.36）。与暴露于小于 90 dBA 噪声水平的工人相比，暴露于等于或大于 90 dBA 噪声水平的工人患噪声性听力损失的可能性高出 4.98 倍（AOR=4.98，95%CI 2.59-9.58）。此外，男性空军基地工人患听力障碍的可能性是女性工人的 3.5 倍（AOR=3.5，95%CI 1.01-12.0）。本研究表明，噪声性听力损失和听力障碍的患病率显著较高。因此，实施听力保护计划、提供噪声教育和供应足够的听力保护装置（HPD）是必要的。
