Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Farmworkers: A Scoping Review

Details

• Personal Author:
  Beseler CL ; Coco L ; Ekonomo K ; Fried M ; Keeney AJ ; Loria O ; Sanchez G ; Vazquez L
• Description:
  Objective: Farmworkers who have prolonged exposure to loud noise are at risk for disabling hearing loss. The objectives of this scoping review are to (1) identify and summarize the evidence on noise-induced hearing loss in farmworkers, (2) describe instruments used to evaluate hearing loss outcomes, (3) describe testing approaches and limitations, and (4) provide recommendations for future studies that seek to quantify hearing loss in this population. Methods: We performed a systematic search of three electronic databases, PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus, to identify articles related to noise-related hearing loss in farmworkers. Our search was guided by Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Results: A total of 57 articles met inclusion criteria. The majority of studies were undertaken in North America (n = 32, 56%), and most were in the midwestern United States. Farmworkers tended to be white, male, and work in crop agriculture. A total of 47 studies (82%) used audiometry to measure farmworkers' hearing sensitivity, among which testing was carried out at various locations, including hospitals, clinics, farmworkers' homes, and worksites. The criteria for defining hearing loss varied across studies making it difficult to summarize results. Among 14 studies that used a cutoff point greater than 25 decibels, the prevalence of hearing loss ranged between 46 and 98%. Subjective outcomes (used in 14 studies) were typically assessed using a variety of researcher-developed questions. The prevalence of hearing difficulties in this category was as high as 87%. Conclusion: Hearing loss is prevalent across studies and does not appear to decrease over the years. Our findings call for more research among diverse farmworker populations. Further, given the high prevalence of hearing loss in many of the studies reviewed, there is clearly a need to develop strategies to protect farmworkers from noise exposure and noise-induced hearing loss. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Farmers Hearing Hearing Loss Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced Noise Noise, Occupational Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Audiological Testing Audiometry Author Keywords: Noise-induced Hearing Loss Farm Workers Farmworkers Hearing Conservation Hearing Loss Prevention Noise Exposure Noise Induced Hearing Loss Occupational Health Scoping Review Systematic Reviews

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• ISSN:
  2296-2565
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; Kansas City Region [OSHA] ; Nebraska ; San Francisco Region [OSHA]
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  13
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070773
• Citation:
  Front Public Health 2025 Mar; 13:1502489
• Contact Point Address:
  Laura Coco, School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, College of Health and Human Services, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
• Email:
  lcoco@sdsu.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  University of California - Davis
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20010930
• Source Full Name:
  Frontiers in Public Health
• End Date:
  20270929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:53e5a68ae74bf0a63d54f7b47294e6846b7267f39a60023e057c13df77a2ab9185d888419611cff45aea00b81efcaf62484a6b4f8b7954d29c31b1a73ca8c557
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/208930/cdc_208930_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.06 MB ]