Hispanics and Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Details

• Personal Author:
  Rabinowitz PM
• Description:
  This pilot study focused on whether Hispanics were at increased risk of noise-induced hearing loss and were experiencing disproportionate morbidity due to hearing problems. The components of the study included a cross-sectional survey of workers' hearing status and knowledge, attitude, and behavior regarding noise, hearing loss, and hearing protection. In addition, a threshold shift study compared hearing status before and after a work shift. Hearing was assessed with pure tone audiometry and distortion-produced otoacoustic emissions. Other risk factors for noise-induced hearing loss which were investigated included hearing protection fit, blood levels of antioxidants, and glucose status. Hispanics in the sample both reported and exhibited a greater degree of hearing problems than other groups. Otoacoustic emissions agreed with audiometric findings in terms of baseline hearing levels between groups. Hispanics and Asians with low levels of acculturation had markedly lower attenuation ratings from the use of hearing protection. Hispanics reported greater barriers to the use of hearing protection, possibly due to language barriers. Hispanics also reported greater difficulty coping with hearing loss. The results of this pilot study suggest that this fast-growing segment of the U.S. workforce is at increased risk of noise-induced hearing loss and may face greater barriers to the effective use of hearing protection. Further study of these issues is warranted to help design preventive interventions for this population. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Antioxidants Demography Hearing Loss Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced Morbidity Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety
• Keywords:
  Demographic-characteristics Hearing-disorders Hearing-loss Hearing-protection Morbidity-rates Noise-induced-hearing-loss Risk-factors Sampling
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Final Grant Report
• Place as Subject:
  Connecticut ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-31
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20023760
• Citation:
  Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, R03-OH-003782, 2000 Jan; :1-31
• Contact Point Address:
  Yale Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program, 135 College Street, 3rd Floor, New Haven, CT 06510
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2000
• NORA Priority Area:
  Work Environment and Workforce: Special Populations
• Performing Organization:
  Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  19980930
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  19990929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:6198a17b8b6571833f9295c88553f6bea30155a5154c98964887ed607dcfa77008cb7b688b570f64a9efa241466e1a24aaa5358646f106dd84e590f437735c09
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/218112/cdc_218112_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.20 MB ]