Hearing Loss and Use of Hearing Protection Among Career Firefighters in the United States

Details

• Personal Author:
  Chin DL ; Hong O ; Samo DG
• Description:
  Objective: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and the use of hearing protection devices (HPDs) among career firefighters. Methods: A Web-based survey and a standard audiometric test were performed with 425 firefighters from three states in the United States. Results: More than 40% showed hearing loss in the noise-sensitive frequencies (4 and 6 kHz). The left ear showed significantly poorer hearing than the right ear. Firefighters having longer years of work in fire services demonstrated significantly worse hearing. Reported use of HPDs was 34% of the time that was needed. Firefighters who used HPDs less were significantly more likely to have hearing loss. Conclusions: This study demonstrated a considerable NIHL problem and low use of HPDs in firefighters. More comprehensive hearing conservation programs should be implemented to reduce NIHL for firefighters. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Behavior Firefighters Hearing Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced Noise Noise, Occupational Occupational Health Safety Surveys And Questionnaires
• Keywords:
  Fire Fighters Health Surveys Hearing Protection Noise Induced Hearing Loss Population Based Studies
• ISSN:
  1076-2752
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; Illinois ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  55
• Issue:
  8
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20053673
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Med 2013 Aug; 55(8):960-965
• Contact Point Address:
  OiSaeng Hong, PhD, RN, FAAN, Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing Graduate Program, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, 2 Koret Way, Room N 531D, San Francisco, CA 94143
• Email:
  oisaeng.hong@nursing.ucsf.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2013
• Performing Organization:
  University of California, Berkeley
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b884dd98b4176e5f8ae65d7617b328e5e326401dec65fa8dc8e06942f9590639d1616a1564107c445f47ecee9bc27a5d0168a12a59e3f4233d957afece410c8a
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/216388/cdc_216388_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 183.70 KB ]