Factors Associated with Occupational Hearing Loss among StoneMortar Workers in Phayao Province, Northern Thailand

Authors

  • Sakesun Thongtip Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of Phayao, Muang, Phayao 56000,
  • Sarawut Sangkham Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of Phayao, Muang, Phayao 56000,
  • Rattikarn Sukpromson Department of Occupational, Phayao Hospital, Mueang, Phayao 56000,

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31584/jhsmr.2020740

Keywords:

occupational hearing loss, stone-mortar workers

Abstract

Objective: Noise pollution is an unwanted phenomenon that affects human health and can lead to occupational hearing loss in exposed workers. The stone mortar industry is one of the processes which can create a noise hazard. This study aimed to explore the factors associated with occupational hearing loss among stone-mortar workers in Phayao Province, Northern Thailand.
Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted 27 stone-mortar workers who were interviewed with a questionnaire. Pure-tone hearing thresholds were measured using audiometry. The data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman’s rank correlation test and Kruskal-Wallis test and Multiple linear regression analysis.
Results: The study found a significant difference between age and high frequency hearing loss in both right and left ears (p-values 0.024 and 0.049, respectively). There were significant correlations between working hours per day and high frequency hearing loss in both right and left ears (p-values 0.030 and 0.042, respectively). Multiple linear regression analysis found increasing age was associated with high frequency hearing loss in both right and left ears (p-values 0.033 and 0.017, respectively) after adjusting for number of years worked, working hours per day, and use of personal protective equipment as random variables.
Conclusion: All stone-mortar factories produce noise pollution. Therefore, the local policy makers should emphasize reducing noise pollution from stone factories and surveillance of occupational hearing loss to improve the quality of life of the people who work in such factories.

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Published

2020-05-13

How to Cite

1.
Thongtip S, Sangkham S, Sukpromson R. Factors Associated with Occupational Hearing Loss among StoneMortar Workers in Phayao Province, Northern Thailand. J Health Sci Med Res [Internet]. 2020 May 13 [cited 2024 Mar. 29];38(3):213-9. Available from: https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jhsmr/article/view/244167

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