BACKGROUND: Exposure to environmental noise may have a negative impact on a population's mental health. We estimated the prevalence of exposure perception to high environmental noise in the Valencian Community, a region on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, and analysed its association with poor mental health risk, adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic and health status variables. METHODS: Cross-sectional study based on a sample of 5.485 subjects, aged 15 or above, of the 2016 Valencian Community Health Survey. The risk of poor mental health was assessed via Goldberg's questionnaire, a highly standardized self-reported questionnaire designed to screen for general psychological distress in the general population. Noise perception were determined in the home environment based on individuals' responses to the Valencian Survey question about external noise problems. Sociodemographic variables, such as sex, age, level of education, or country of birth, and health variables, such as self-perceived health, or chronic diseases, were also considered. Logistic regression was used to estimate the Odds Ratios and confidence intervals of association between variables according to sex. RESULTS: The prevalence of poor mental health was 26.2% [n = 2665; 95% CI: 24.5-27.9] in men and 33.6% [n = 2820; 95% CI: 31.9-35.3] in women. A total of 7.8% [n = 5485; 95% CI: 6.8-8.8] presented exposure to high noise perception, with no differences according to sex. Being at risk of poor mental health was significantly associated (p < 0.05) with high noise perception after adjusting for the rest of the variables (OR: 2.16 [95% CI: 1.46-3.19] in men; 2.46 [95% CI: 1.72-3.50] in women). CONCLUSIONS Although the prevalence of exposure perception to high noise was not very high, population subgroups presenting high values were detected. High noise perception was related to the risk of poor mental health, regardless of other variables. Poor mental health risk was associated with exposure perception to high noise, other socioeconomic determinants, and health status. Improving noise exposure conditions could reduce the risk of poor mental health.
Humans ; Spain/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Noise/adverse effects* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects* ; Aged ; Mental Health/statistics & numerical data* ; Prevalence ; Mental Disorders/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Prolonged occupational noise exposure poses potential health risks, but its impact on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage and methylation patterns remains unclear. METHOD: We recruited 306 factory workers, using average binaural high-frequency hearing thresholds from pure-tone audiometry to assess noise exposure. MtDNA damage was evaluated through mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and lesion rate, and mtDNA methylation changes were identified via pyrophosphate sequencing. RESULTS: There was a reduction in MT-RNR1 methylation of 4.52% (95% CI: -7.43% to -1.62%) among workers with abnormal hearing, whereas changes in the D-loop region were not statistically significant (β = -2.06%, 95% CI: -4.44% to 0.31%). MtDNAcn showed a negative association with MT-RNR1 methylation (β = -0.95, 95% CI: -1.23 to -0.66), while no significant link was found with D-loop methylation (β = -0.05, 95% CI: -0.58 to 0.48). Mediation analysis indicated a significant increase in mtDNAcn by 10.75 units (95% CI: 3.00 to 21.26) in those with abnormal hearing, with MT-RNR1 methylation mediating 35.9% of this effect. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that occupational noise exposure may influence compensatory increases in mtDNA content through altered MT-RNR1 methylation.
Humans ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; DNA Methylation ; Male ; Adult ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects* ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects* ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Female

Objective: To explore the change of hearing threshold of workers exposed to noise, establish an individual-based hearing loss early warning model, accurately and differentiated the health of workers exposed to noise. Methods: In September 2019, all physical examination data of 561 workers exposed to noise from an enterprise were collected since their employment. Three indicators of average hearing threshold of the better ear, namely, at high frequency, 4000 Hz and speech frequency, were constructed. The generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used to adjust gender and age and establish the warning model of each indicator. Finally, sensitive indicators and warning models were screened according to AUC and Yoden index. Results: Among the 561 workers exposed to noise, 26 (4.6%) workers had hearing loss. The sensitivity indicators were the average hearing threshold at speech frequency ≥20 dB, high frequency ≥30 dB and 4000 Hz ≥25 dB. The AUC of each index was 0.602, 0.794 and 0.804, and the Youden indexes were 0.204, 0.588 and 0.608, respectively. In GEE of hearing loss warning models, high-frequency hearing threshold ≥20 dB and 4000 Hz hearing threshold ≥25 dB were the optimal models, with AUC of 0.862. Conclusion: Combined with the changes of individual hearing threshold over the years, can accurately assess the risk of individual hearing loss of workers exposed to noise.
Humans ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/diagnosis* ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects* ; Audiometry ; Deafness ; Employment ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects* ; Occupational Diseases/diagnosis*

Objective: To explore the relationship between DNA methylation and occupational noise-induced hearing loss. Methods: A case-control study was conducted. People with hearing loss induced by occupational noise were recruited as the case group and those with normal hearing but still exposed to occupational noise were recruited as the control group. A total of 60 participants were included, of which 30 participants were in the case group and 30 in the control group. The methylation level was detected by 850k genome-wide DNA methylation chip technology. The significance of differential methylated position (DMP) was tested by R-packet 'Champ'. The differential methylated region (DMR) was analyzed by using Champ's Bumphunter algorithm. Cluster profiler was used to analyze the gene list for GO and KEGG pathway enrichment. Results: There was significant difference between two groups in binaural high-frequency average hearing threshold (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in age, smoking, drinking, hypertension, physical exercise and cumulative noise exposure. The results of DMP and DMR analysis showed that 713875 sites were detected in the case group and the control group, and 439 methylation sites with significant difference, accounting for 0.06%; 650 regions were detected, and 72 methylation regions with significant differences, accounting for 11.08%. Compared with the control group, the results of GO enrichment analysis showed that the case group had statistically significant differences in four pathways: axogenesis of projection neurons in the central nervous system, neuronal development in the central nervous system, axogenesis of neurons in the central nervous system and neuronal differentiation in the central nervous system. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that there were significant differences in sphingolipid metabolism, aldosterone synthesis and secretion, primary bile acid biosynthesis pathway between the case group and the control group. Conclusion: The occurrence of occupational noise-induced hearing loss may be related to the regulation of gene expression related to axogenesis of projection neurons in the central nervous system, development of neurons in the central nervous system, axogenesis of neurons in the central nervous system, differentiation of neurons in the central nervous system, sphingolipid metabolism, aldosterone synthesis and secretion, primary bile acid biosynthesis and gene methylation related to metabolism.
Aldosterone ; Bile Acids and Salts ; Case-Control Studies ; DNA Methylation ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/genetics* ; Humans ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects* ; Occupational Diseases ; Occupational Exposure ; Sphingolipids

Objective: To investigate the relationship between high frequency hearing loss caused by occupational noise and the risk of hypertension. Methods: In March 2020, a case-control study was conducted. All noise exposed workers who participated in occupational health examination in Wuxi City in 2019 were selected as the study subjects (95432 cases in total) . The hypertension group was defined as the case group, and the normotensive group was defined as the control group. According to the hearing threshold, they were divided into the non high frequency hearing loss group (<40 dB) and the high frequency hearing loss group (≥ 40 dB) . Univariate statistical method and binary logistic regression were used to evaluate the relationship between high-frequency hearing loss and hypertension risk. Stratified analysis was used to compare the risk of hypertension among workers with high-frequency hearing loss of different ages and length of service. Results: There were significant differences in gender, age, length of service, enterprise scale, economic type and high-frequency hearing loss between control group and hypertension group (P<0.05) . Binary logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for gender, age, length of service, enterprise scale and economic type, the risk of hypertension in the high-frequency hearing loss group was still increased (OR=1.062, 95%CI: 1.007~1.121, P=0.027) . The risk of hypertension in high-frequency hearing loss patients was higher than that in non high-frequency hearing loss patients in 20-39 years old and 40-59 years old age groups (OR=1.536, 95%CI: 1.353~1.743; OR=1.179, 95%CI: 1.111~1.250; P<0.05) . The risk of hypertension in high-frequency hearing loss patients in <5years, 5-9years, 10-14 years, 15-19 years and ≥20 years working age groups were higher than that in non high-frequency hearing loss groups (OR=1.926, 95%CI=1.007-1.121; OR=1.635, 95%CI=1.478-1.810; OR=1.312, 95%CI=1.167-1.474; OR=1.445, 95%CI=1.238-1.686; OR=1.235, 95%CI=1.043-1.463; P<0.05) . Conclusion: There is a certain relationship between high-frequency hearing loss caused by occupational noise and the risk of hypertension, and the risk of hypertension is different among high-frequency hearing loss patients of different ages and working years.
Humans ; Young Adult ; Adult ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects* ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/etiology* ; Case-Control Studies ; Hearing Loss, High-Frequency ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects* ; Hypertension/complications* ; Occupational Diseases/complications*

Objective: To understand the current situation of high-frequency hearing loss of workers exposed to occupational noise in Hubei Province and its multi-level influencing factors. Methods: In June 2021, the basic information, occupational history, physical examination results and other relevant information in the "Occupational Health Examinations Case Cards" for noise workers in Hubei Province in 2020 were extracted from the subsystem of the "China Disease Prevention and Control Information System". Multilevel level of logistic model was used to analyze the related factors of high-frequency hearing loss of noise-exposed workers. Results: In 2020, the incidence rate of occupational high-frequency hearing loss in Hubei Province was 8.25% (6450/78152), and the incidence rate in various regions of the province ranged from 1.13% to 19.87%. At the individual level, male, ≥ 30 years of age, 6-10 years of service, small and micro enterprises, as well as construction, mining, manufacturing, transportation and rental services were the risk factors for high-frequency hearing loss (P<0.05). The risk of high-frequency hearing loss among workers in foreign-funded enterprises was significantly lower than that of workers in state-owned/collective enterprises (P<0.05). At the regional level, the younger the age of the employees, the lower the risk of high-frequency hearing loss (P<0.05). There was no significant correlation between the regional economic level and the risk of high-frequency hearing loss (P>0.05) . Conclusion: The incidence rate of occupational high-frequency hearing loss in Hubei Province is low in 2020, but the incidence rate varies greatly in different regions of the province, mainly due to differences in employment age, while the development of regional economic level has not reduced the risk of occupational high-frequency hearing loss.
Male ; Humans ; Child ; Hearing Loss, High-Frequency ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/diagnosis* ; Occupational Diseases/epidemiology* ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects* ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects*

Objective: To understand the harm degree of underground noise and provide basis for noise control. Methods: In November 2019, 13 typical coal mines in Sichuan Province were selected as the research objects, and a total of 1203 sites and 609 jobs of noise exposure were investigated. Results: The noise intensity P75 >80 dB (A) was measured. The noise intensity of the inspection place of the air compressor is >86 dB (A) , the noise intensity of the inspection place of the gas drainage and the operation place of the main fan is between 80-85 dB (A) . Conclusion: Besides the harm of dust, noise exposure should also be paid attention to, and the measures of sound absorption and sound insulation should be taken or personal protection should be strengthened.
Coal ; Coal Mining ; Dust/analysis* ; Noise ; Occupational Exposure

Objective: To explore the association between occupational noise exposure and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in a large Chinese population. Methods: In December 2019, the study included 21412 retired participants from the Dongfeng-Tongji Cohort Study at baseline from September 2008 to June 2010, occupational noise exposure was evaluated through workplace noise level and/or the job titles. In a subsample of 8931 subjects, bilateral hearing loss was defined as a pure-tone mean of 25 dB or higher at 0.5, 1 , 2, and 4 kHz in both ears. Logistic regression models were used to explore the association of occupational noise exposure, bilateral hearing loss with 10-year CVD risk. Results: Compared with participants without occupational noise exposure, the 10-year CVD risk was significantly higher for noise exposure duration ≥20 years (OR=1.20, 95%CI:1.01-1.41 , P=0.001) after adjusting for potential confounders. In the sex-specific analysis, the association was only statistically significant in males (OR=2.34, 95%CI: 1.18-4.66, P<0.001) , but not in females (OR=1.15, 95%CI:0.97-1.37, P=0.153). In the subsample analyses, bilateral hearing loss, which was an indicator for exposure to loud noise, was also associated with a higher risk of 10-year CVD (OR= 1.17, 95% CI:1.05-1.44, P <0.001) , especially for participants who were males (OR =1.24, 95% CI:1.07-2.30, P<0.001) , aged equal and over 60 years old (OR=2.30, 95%CI: 1.84-2.88, P<0.001) , and exposed to occupational noise (OR=1.66, 95%CI: 1.02-2.70, P=0.001). Conclusion: Occupational noise exposure may be a risk factor for CVD.
Aged ; Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology* ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Bilateral/complications* ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects* ; Occupational Diseases/epidemiology* ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects*

Objective: To explore the applicability of three different kinds of noise occupational health risk assessment methods to the occupational health risk assessment of noise exposed positions in an automobile foundry enterprise. Methods: In July 2020, the occupational-health risk assessment of noise-exposed positions was conducted by using the Guidelines for risk management of occupational noise hazard (guideline method) , the International Commission on Mining and Metals Guidelines for Occupational Health Risk Assessment (ICMM) method and the Occupational-health risk index method (index method) respectively, and the results were analyzed and compared. Results: Through the occupational health field investigation, the noise exposure level of the enterprise's main workstations was between 80.3 and 94.8 dB (A) , among which the noise of the posts of shaking-sand, cleaning and modeling was greater than 85 dB (A) ; The noise risk of each position was evaluated by the three methods, and the adjustment risk level was between 2 and 5 assessed using the guideline method, between 2 and 3 assessed using the index method, and 5 evaluated using the ICMM model. Conclusion: Each of the three risk assessment methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. The ICMM model has a large difference in value assignment, and values in the results are larger than expected. The evaluation results of the guideline method and the index method are consistent in some positions, there is certain subjectivity in the evaluation using the index method, and the guideline method is more objective.
Automobiles ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects* ; Occupational Exposure ; Occupational Health ; Risk Assessment/methods*

Objective: To learn about the noise exposure and health status of workers and analyze factors that may affect the health outcomes of workers in an auto manufacturing enterprise in Tianjin City. Methods: In September 2020, occupational hygiene survey, noise exposure level detection and occupational health examination data collection were carried out in an auto parts manufacturing enterprise. Chi square test and unconditional logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the health effects of noise exposure and hearing loss of 361 noise exposure workers. Results: The rates of over-standard noise exposure, hearing loss and hypertension were 69.39% (34/49) , 33.24% (120/361) and 11.36% (41/361) , respectively. There were upward trends on age and noise-working years for hearing loss and hypertension rates (χ(2)=-5.95, -6.16, -2.81, -2.74, P<0.05) . Unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that age>35 years old, noise exposure length of service >10 years and noise L(EX, 8 h)>85 dB (A) were risk factors for hearing loss (OR=3.57, 95%CI: 1.09, 11.75; OR=4.05, 95%CI: 1.97, 8.25; OR=1.75, 95%CI: 1.00, 3.05; P=0.036, 0.001, 0.047) . Conclusion: This company has a high rate of job noise exceeding the standard, and noise-exposed workers have more serious hearing loss. Age, noise exposure and high noise exposure are risk factors for hearing loss.
Adult ; Automobiles ; Deafness ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/etiology* ; Humans ; Hypertension/complications* ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects* ; Occupational Diseases/complications* ; Occupational Exposure/analysis*