Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Occupational hearing loss (OHL) is among the most common causes of disabling hearing loss. Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA) is not readily available in Uganda due to the high cost and operator dependence. However, a mobile phone-health innovation, Wulira App, with a sensitivity of 91.4% in the right ear and 88.4% in the left ear and a specificity of 93.2% and 91.5% in the right and left ear respectively, provides an easy to use, and reliable alternative screening tool for hearing loss. In this study, the prevalence and associated factors of OHL among industrial workers will be determined. METHODS: We will conduct a cross-sectional study among industrial workers in Kampala. A total of 354 participants will be recruited systematically and screened for hearing loss using the Wulira App in a quiet room. Noise cancelling earphones will be used to minimize interference from any ambient noises. The study population will be described by exposure variables such as duration of work in the factory, age, sex, smoking, previous MDR-TB treatment. Categorical data will be presented as frequencies and percentages while continuous variables will be presented as means and standard deviations or medians and interquartile ranges. Proportions for categorical variables will be compared using the chi-square tests and Fisher’s exact tests after testing for assumptions whereas means of continuous variables will be compared using Student t-test for normally distributed data and Mann Whitney U test for skewed data. Inferential statistics will be used. RESULTS:Using a hearing threshold more than or equal to 26 dB as hearing loss, participants with OHL will be presented as proportions and classified according to the WHO classification of hearing loss. CONCLUSIONS:Wulira App is easy to use tool for assessing OHL. Therefore, Wulira App could be adopted in clinical and work settings to screen and monitor for hearing loss. KEYWORDS: Occupational exposure, Occupational epidemiology
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