Investigation of screening methods for identifying population susceptible to noise-induced hearing loss

Abstract

To investigate the screening methods for identifying the populations susceptible and resistant to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and to provide a reference for future research. Workers who were exposed to 75 ∼ 120 dB noise in enterprises were included in the study. Field investigation of occupational health was conducted; workers' basic information and data on hearing threshold levels were collected. Paired chi-square test was used to compare each two of three screening methods, which were used at home and abroad to identify noise-susceptible and noise-sensitive populations, in terms of noise exposure level, general information, and noise-induced hearing threshold shift. There were no significant differences in the noise exposure level, basic information, and left and right ears' hearing threshold levels of noise-susceptible and noise-sensitive populations between each two of the three screening methods (P > 0.05), according to the paired chi-square test. However, high-frequency hearing threshold had statistically significant difference among the three methods. As a whole, methods B and C were superior to method A. The workers in China are younger than before, with more awareness of self-protection, and individual protection is enhanced in them. Currently, method B is more suitable for screening out the population susceptible to NIHL in China.