Noise Exposure and Noise Induced Hearing Loss Among the Traffic Police in Dhaka Metropolitan City
| Autor: | Abirvab Naha, Mohammad Habibur Rahman, Hasanul Haque, Khalid Mahmud, Nasima Akhtar, Riashat Azim Majumder, Ashim Kumar Biswas, Pran Gopal Datta |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | Bangladesh Medical Research Council Bulletin. 46:219-227 |
| ISSN: | 2224-7238 0377-9238 |
| DOI: | 10.3329/bmrcb.v46i3.52258 |
| Popis: | Background: Occupational noise is considered as a global problem with social and physiological impacts, causing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). High levels of occupational noise is a problem in all regions of the world. Road traffic produces high noise levels that can cause damage to the traffic police hearing. Hence, occupational hearing loss is a well-known outcome of noise exposure at work. Objectives: The study aimed to measure the noise exposure level at different traffic points and determine the occurrence rate and severity of hearing loss among the traffic police of Dhaka Metropolitan City. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted during 2017-2019 in 28 selected traffic points of Dhaka Metropolitan City under four traffic zone (East, West, North, and South) and among 100 traffic police who were working there and met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Noise exposure level was measured from all selected traffic points with a digital sound level meter. Data were collected by face to face interview with a pretested semi-structured questionnaire followed by an otoscopic examination, tuning fork tests, and a baseline audiogram. To see the association, Chi-square tests or Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) tests were performed. Results: This study revealed that the average noise exposure level at East, West, North, and South zones are respectively 125.6 dB, 112.9 dB, 121.3 dB, and 119.4 dB. At every point, the noise exposure level was more than the acceptable limit set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In the audiometry report of 100 traffic police, 64% had sensorineural hearing loss. Of them 85% had mild, 9% had moderate and 6% with severe hearing loss. Notch in 4 kHz in an audiogram was present in the right ear of 46% of respondents and left ear of 52% respondents. It was observed that hearing loss was significantly associated with increasing age and job duration. Conclusion: Traffic police of Dhaka Metropolitan City is in constant risk of noise induced hearing loss as the ambient noise of this city is very high. Regular assessment and hearing screening is recommended for all the traffic police who are exposed to noise. Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull 2020; 46(3): 219-227 |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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