Analyses of hearing loss induced by ship noise among sailors
10.3760/cma.j.issn.1009-6906.2014.01.009
- VernacularTitle:海船噪声环境致船员听力损伤的情况分析
- Author:
Sasa GE
1
;
Guiliang ZHENG
;
Weiran CAI
;
Yide ZHOU
Author Information
1. 200433上海,第二军医大学附属长海医院耳鼻喉头颈外科;上海远洋医院耳鼻喉科
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Noise-induced hearing loss;
Audiometry;
Pure-tone detection;
Sailors
- From:
Chinese journal of nautical medicine and hyperbaric medicine
2014;21(2):105-108
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To investigate the features of hearing loss induced by ship noise among sailors.Methods One thousand sailors,among whom 563 of them were from the deck department and 437 were from the engine department,received hearing tests.Results Of pure tone audiometry detection were evaluated,analyzed and compared.Results For hearing damage at various frequencies,hearing loss at 4 kHz was the most common.The rate of hearing loss at high frequency was greater than that at audio frequency,which conformed to the features of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).The longer the sea service of sailors was and the longer they exposed to ship noise,the greater hearing damage they would sustain.For instance,the rate of hearing loss for sailors with 31 years of sea service or longer would reach as high as 35.2%.Statistical differences could be seen in the severeness of hearing damage among different groups of sailor with different length of sea service (P < 0.01).There was statistical significance in the rate of hearing loss,when comparisons were made between the engine department sailors (21.1%) and the deck department sailors (11.4%) (P < 0.01).The rate of hearing loss for the sailors wearing ear plugs frequently was much lower than those not wearing them,also with statistical significance (P < 0.01).Conclusions Due to the high rate of hearing loss among sailors,the application of ear plugs could alleviate noise-induced hearing loss to some extent.It is of practical importance to develop and adopt highly effective,convenient and nontoxic intervention measures or devices against noiseinduced hearing loss.