Abstract
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the oldest occupational diseases. Evidence has accumulated in recent years on the adverse effects of smoking on hearing among the working population, but the absence of such an association has also been reported. Both cigarette smoking and noise exposure have a common pathway to produce hearing loss. We surveyed the effect of smoking on NIHL in 478 workers in a large automobile manufacturing company who were exposed to unauthorized levels of noise. All required data were obtained using direct interviews and questionnaires. The results of the chi-square test and the regression models are expressed as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The frequency of hearing loss in smokers was higher than in non-smokers based on model 1 (hearing threshold differences ≥30 dB between 4,000 Hz and 1,000 Hz in both ears; OR 23, 95% CI: 11.90–44.42; p 25 dB at 4,000 Hz in the better ear; OR 6.94, 95% CI: 4.53–10.64; p < 0.001). These results were confirmed by the logistic regression statistical method. It can be concluded that smoking may accelerate noise-induced hearing loss, and smoking cessation may be useful for prevention of NIHL, but more studies are required to confirm this.
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