Morata T C, Engel T, Durão A, Costa T R, Krieg E F, Dunn D E, Lozano M A
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Bioacoustics and Occupational Vibration Section, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Scand Audiol. 1997;26(3):141-9. doi: 10.3109/01050399709074987.
Workers from a refinery (n = 438) were interviewed, had their hearing tested and had their exposures to noise and solvents assessed. Measurements suggested that most exposures to noise and solvents were within exposure limits recommended by international agencies; however, the prevalence for hearing loss within the exposed groups ranged from 42 to 50%, significantly exceeding the 15-30% prevalence observed for unexposed groups. The adjusted odds ratio estimates for hearing loss were 2.4 times greater for groups from aromatics and paraffins (95% CI 1.0-5.7), 3 times greater for the maintenance group (95% CI 1.3-6.9) and 1.8 times greater for the group from shipping (95% CI 0.6-4.9), when compared to unexposed workers from the warehouse and health clinic. The results of acoustic reflex decay tests suggest a retrocochlear or central auditory pathway involvement in the losses observed in certain job categories. These findings indicate that factors in addition to noise ought to be considered when investigating and preventing occupational hearing loss.
对一家炼油厂的438名工人进行了访谈，测试了他们的听力，并评估了他们接触噪音和溶剂的情况。测量结果表明，大多数噪音和溶剂暴露量都在国际机构建议的暴露限值范围内；然而，暴露组的听力损失患病率在42%至50%之间，显著超过未暴露组观察到的15%至30%的患病率。与来自仓库和健康诊所的未暴露工人相比，芳烃和石蜡组听力损失的调整后比值比估计值高2.4倍（95%置信区间1.0 - 5.7），维修组高3倍（95%置信区间1.3 - 6.9），运输组高1.8倍（95%置信区间0.6 - 4.9）。声反射衰减测试结果表明，在某些工作类别中观察到的听力损失涉及蜗后或中枢听觉通路。这些发现表明，在调查和预防职业性听力损失时，除了噪音之外，还应考虑其他因素。
