| 1. |
- Bartels, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
-
The impact of nocturnal road traffic noise, bedroom window orientation, and work-related stress on subjective sleep quality: results of a cross-sectional study among working women.
- 2021
-
Ingår i: International archives of occupational and environmental health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-1246 .- 0340-0131. ; 94, s. 1523-1536
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To examine the effect of work-related stress and road noise exposure on self-rated sleep and potential additive interaction effects.Sleep and predictor variables were surveyed within two subsamples with 2191 and 1764 working women in a cross-sectional study. Sleep was assessed using a single question on general sleep quality and four questions on specific sleep problems and subsequently dichotomized (poor sleep vs. no poor sleep). Work-related stress was operationalized by job strain and effort-reward imbalance. Nocturnal exposure to road traffic noise was assessed as (a) the orientation of the bedroom window to a quiet façade vs. a low-, medium- or high-trafficked street and (b) energy-equivalent sound pressure levels for night-time modelled at the most exposed façade (Lnight). We distinguished between low (<45dB(A)), medium (45-50dB(A)) and high exposure (>50dB(A)).Poor sleep was associated with job strain and effort-reward imbalance. The prevalence of poor sleep did not increase with increasing Lnight, but bedroom window orientation showed a non-significant trend. A quiet façade had a protective effect on sleep in each Lnight category. We found a non-significant trend for an additive interaction between bedroom window orientation and job strain.Noise levels modelled for the most exposed façade likely overestimate the actual exposure and thus may not be a precise predictor of poor sleep. Bedroom window orientation seems more relevant. Potential additive interaction effects between bedroom window orientation and job strain should be considered when interpreting epidemiological study results on noise-induced sleep disturbances.
|
|
| 2. |
- Fredriksson, Sofie, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Current perspective on children’s auditory perception and consequences of noise exposure effects
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. - : Acoustical Society of America (ASA). - 0001-4966.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Exposure to high sound pressure levels is well known to cause auditory damage, regardless of age. There is however limited knowledge of the effects on hearing due to noise exposure early in life. In addition, no well-established model is used to describe how children perceive and experience their sound environment compared to adults. New studies of children’s hearing have revealed different directivity pattern especially at high frequencies given by the head-related transfer functions due to the anthropometric data of the children and also an ear canal resonance at considerable higher frequencies compared to adults. Recent studies also describe children feeling a great deal of discomfort when exposed to sounds with high frequency characteristics. Children today are exposed to high sound levels from an early age at preschool, school and during leisure time. Few studies have looked at general health effects or hearing in particular. It is being discussed whether age related hearing loss, regarded as an inevitable part of life, to a large extent may be caused by a lifetime of noise exposure starting early in life. This paper will review available studies on noise induced hearing damage among children and give suggestions for future studies within this field.
|
|
| 3. |
- Fredriksson, Sofie, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Exposure to high sound levels and risk of hearing related disorder among obstetrics personnel
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Proceedings of 11th International Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem (ICBEN), 1-5 June 2014, Nara, Japan.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Exposure to high sound levels is a well-known cause of hearing disorder. However, this has not been adequately studied in non-industrial work environments. Therefore, a cross-sectional study was performed in an obstetrics ward including sound level measurements and a questionnaire survey among personnel (response rate 72%, n=115). Among 55 of those a nested case-control study was performed, with measurements of pure-tone audiometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) and hearing in noise test (HINT). The sound level measurements showed that 46% of the measured shifts exceeded 80 dB LAeq and 27% of the shifts exceeded 115 dB LAFmax. More than half of the participants reported one or more hearing-related symptom and almost half of the group reported work-related stress and noise annoyance. Calculated cumulative occupational noise dose was significantly associated with increased odds of tinnitus and sound fatigue in logistic regression models. A small proportion of the participants had worse hearing compared to age-specific reference for audiometry at 6-8 kHz. Impaired hearing as measured by audiometry and DPOAE was furthermore significantly correlated to cumulative occupational noise dose. The study shows that obstetrics personnel are exposed to high sound levels and have an increased risk of hearing disorder. This indicates a need for preventive action related to noise exposure in the obstetrics care.
|
|
| 4. |
- Fredriksson, Sofie, 1983
(författare)
-
Hearing-related symptoms among women - Occurrence and risk in relation to occupational noise and stressful working conditions
- 2018
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A considerable amount of research has been devoted to the risk of noise-induced hearing loss among industry workers – the majority of whom are men. Much less research has been done in female-dominated human service occupations, including obstetrical care and preschools. These work environments can be characterised by noise from intense speech communication and screaming and by stressful working conditions. To address the lack of studies in female-dominated workplaces we have assessed the occurrence and risk of hearing-related symptoms among obstetrical personnel (n 115), the diagnostic validity of self-reported symptoms (n 55), and the relative risk of hearing-related symptoms among female preschool teachers (n 4718) compared to women in the general population (n 4122). The main finding of this thesis was that women working in obstetrical care and preschools have an increased risk of hearing-related symptoms. We found that equivalent sound levels measured in the obstetrical ward exceeded 80 dBA in 45% and 85 dBA in 5% of the work shifts measured. Maximum levels >115 dBA were measured during ongoing labours. We found an increased risk of tinnitus and sound-induced auditory fatigue in association with occupational noise exposure among obstetrical personnel. Sound-induced auditory fatigue was also associated with noise annoyance. Work-related stress slightly missed significance in a multivariable model. We found an acceptable diagnostic validity for the questionnaire item assessing sound-induced auditory fatigue. It identified >85% of women with fairly mild hearing disorder diagnosed by pure-tone audiometry and by otoacoustic emissions and simultaneously correctly dismissed 70%. The items assessing hearing loss and tinnitus had a sensitivity around 70% in relation to pure-tone audiometry, but wide confidence intervals. Items had low validity in relation to very mild diagnosed hearing disorder. We also found that preschool teachers had higher prevalence of hearing-related symptoms and reported symptom onset earlier in life compared to women in the general population. The relative risk was more than twofold for sound-induced auditory fatigue, hyperacusis and difficulty perceiving speech and less pronounced for hearing loss and tinnitus. The risk of hyperacusis was pronounced among preschool teachers who reported exposure to loud noise. Stressful working conditions had a similar effect on sound-induced auditory fatigue, but the prevalence of sound-induced auditory fatigue was much higher among those reporting noise exposure. We found that working in equivalent sound levels in the range of 75–85 dBA (assigned by a Job-Exposure Matrix) increased the hazard of adult-onset hyperacusis among women in general, and particularly among women working in preschools who had a threefold hazard ratio compared to women working in exposure to equivalent sound levels below 75 dBA. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to ascertain causality. Nevertheless, the pronounced risk of hearing-related symptoms in the occupations studied should be taken seriously and consequences need further study. In addition, our studies showed that hearing protection is rarely used by obstetrical personnel and by preschool teachers. Hence, suitable and acceptable hearing preventive methods and noise-mitigating measures need further development in communication-intense sound environments.
|
|
| 5. |
- Fredriksson, Sofie, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Hearing-related symptoms and occupational noise exposure among women: An intervention study in preschool and obstetrics care
- 2020
-
Ingår i: 13th ICBEN Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem, Stockholm.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent cross-sectional studies have showed that preschool teachers and obstetrics personnel risk developing hearing-related symptoms associated with noise exposure. An ongoing cohort follow-up and intervention study will provide causal interpretations and evaluation of preventive factors. This presentation will include an overview of the project with focus on the intervention study, assessing effects on self-reported noise exposure and hearing-related symptoms. The intervention was performed at one preschool and one obstetrics care unit with two control workplaces each. A participatory approach was used, involving personnel, managers and health and safety representatives. The process followed a common structure in identifying, selecting, implementing and evaluating the interventions, whereas the interventions were tailored to each workplace. Survey data was collected at baseline and two follow-ups, and analysed using generalised estimating equation (GEE). We did not find significant positive effects of the intervention. Factors such as limited resources for implementation and other work environment deteriorations probably explain some of the negative results. Meanwhile, qualitative data indicated positive experiences of the interventions. Thus, we suggest further studies with control of implementation and other changes in the workplace.
|
|
| 6. |
- Fredriksson, Sofie, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Lyssningströtthet och ljudtrötthet - definitioner, prevalens och validering av mätinstrument
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Svensk Audiologisk Konferens, 21–22 november 2023 i Göteborg.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Bakgrund och syfte Personer med hörselnedsättning behöver ofta anstränga sig för att höra och att lyssna uppmärksamt under en längre tid kan bli kognitivt krävande. Forskning visar att det kan resultera i lyssningströtthet. Andra studier visar att personer som arbetar i stökiga ljudmiljöer beskriver snarlika upplevelser även om hörseln inte är nedsatt. Detta har benämnts ljudtrötthet. Lyssningströtthet kan ha en negativ påverkan på livskvalitet och arbetsprestation och kan innebära svårigheter att delta i sociala aktiviteter eller andra viktiga lyssningskrävande aktiviteter. Det finns även samband med stress. På liknande vis har ljudtrötthet beskrivits av förskollärare ge effekter både emotionellt, kognitivt inklusive mental trötthet, fysiskt och socialt. Även förskollärarna beskriver att de drar sig undan sociala sammanhang och att de är i behov av återhämtning efter en arbetsdag i intensiv ljudmiljö. Vanderbuilt Fatigue Scale for Adults (VFS-A-40) är ett validerat självskattningsinstrument utvecklat i USA för att kvantifiera lyssningströtthet hos vuxna. Det finns idag inget instrument på svenska som specifikt mäter lyssningströtthet. Det saknas också jämförelse mellan lyssningströtthet och symptomet ljudtrötthet bland personer som arbetar i intensiva ljudmiljöer. Syftet med studien är dels att översätta och utvärdera VFS-A-40 på svenska bland personer som har hörselbesvär, dels att undersöka förekomsten av lyssningströtthet bland kvinnor i Sverige generellt och specifikt bland de som arbetar i intensiva ljudmiljöer, samt jämföra med förekomst av ljudtrötthet. Metod och förväntat resultat I detta projekt har vi översatt instrumentet till svenska och vi genomför nu en kvalitativ utvärdering (inklusive face validity) av den svenska versionen av VFS-A-40 genom kognitiva intervjuer bland patienter inom hörselvården (datainsamling pågår, antalet intervjuer beräknas totalt till minst 10). Vi kommer även genomföra kvantitativa statistiska analyser (inklusive analys av construct validity och internal consistency) av kortversionen av det översatta mätinstrumentet (VFS-A-10) samt två ytterligare enskilda items från VFS-A-40, i jämförelse med enkätfrågor om ljudtrötthet och hyperacusis (HQ, Hyperacusis Questionnaire Khalfa et al 2002, och HIQ, Hyperacusis Impact Questionnaire Aazh et al 2022). De statistiska analyserna genomförs på och prevalens beräknas utifrån ett stort epidemiologiskt datamaterial omfattande drygt 10 000 kvinnor i åldrarna 34 – 80 år, varav hälften är slumpmässigt utvalda från befolkningen och resterande är förskollärare (datainsamling pågår, beräknad svarsfrekvens ca 60%). Preliminära resultat från tre kognitiva intervjuer indikerar inga behov av justeringar för att behålla betydelsen från originalinstrumentet VFS-A-40. Chronbach’s alpha för VFS-A-10, samband mellan lyssningströtthet, ljudtrötthet och hyperacusis, samt prevalens av respektive symptom kommer att presenteras. I presentationen diskuteras även planerade studier för klinisk validering och implementering.
|
|
| 7. |
- Fredriksson, Sofie, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Occupational noise exposure, noise annoyance, hearing-related symptoms, and emotional exhaustion - a participatory-based intervention study in preschool and obstetrics care
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 1933-8244 .- 2154-4700. ; 78:7-8, s. 423-434
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A participatory-based intervention was performed in Sweden, aimed at improving the sound environment in one preschool (n=20) and one obstetric ward (n=50), with two controls each (n=28, n=66). Measured sound levels, and surveys of noise annoyance, hearing-related symptoms and emotional exhaustion were collected before, and three and nine months after the interventions, comparing intervention and control groups over time. The results of this first implementation in a limited number of workplaces showed significantly worsening of hyperacusis, sound-induced auditory fatigue, emotional exhaustion and increased sound levels in the preschool, and worsening of noise annoyance in both intervention groups. Increased risk awareness, limited implementation support and lack of psychosocial interventions may explain the worsening in outcomes, as might the worse baseline in the intervention groups. The complexity of the demands in human-service workplaces calls for further intervention studies.
|
|
| 8. |
- Fredriksson, Sofie, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Preschool teachers experience of sound-induced auditory fatigue: a qualitative content analysis of n852 free-text survey responses
- 2023
-
Ingår i: 14th ICBEN Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem, 18-22 June, Belgrade Serbia.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim was to study preschool teachers experience of sound-induced auditory fatigue. Previous studies have shown increased risk of sound-induced auditory fatigue, as well as other hearing-related symptoms, among female preschool teachers compared to women in general. Based on a sample of female preschool teachers who responded to a follow-up survey 2017 (n3277), we analysed open-ended free-text responses from n852 teachers who worked in preschool part- or fulltime, and experienced sound-induced auditory fatigue at least once a month or more often. We used qualitative content analysis to code and categorised the responses based on an interpretation of latent underlying meaning. The categories were then conceptualized into a model. We identified that the context relating to the sound-environment at the preschool was a contributing factor to the symptom sound-induced auditory fatigue, and many of the preschool teachers expressed a need for silence as a result of the noise exposure at work. The teachers expressed several negative health effects, which were interpreted as resulting from an unfulfilled need for auditory recovery. These effects were sub-categorised into 1) emotional effects (including annoyance), 2) cognitive effects (including mental fatigue), 3) physical effects (including hearing-related symptoms e.g., hyperacusis, and stress-reactions), and 4) social effects (including withdrawal). The teachers also described coping strategies adopted to meet the need for recovery or to handle the effects of the auditory fatigue. We conclude that the sound environment in preschool and the subsequent auditory fatigue and related negative health effects experienced by many preschool teachers require attention and prevention.
|
|
| 9. |
- Fredriksson, Sofie, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Preschool teachers have an increased risk of hearing-related symptoms and report more occupational noise exposure compared to randomly selected women
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Occupational Health: Think Globally, Act Locally, EPICOH 2016, September 4–7, 2016, Barcelona, Spain. Occupational & Environmental Medicine. ; 73:A191
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Noise-induced hearing disorder has been thoroughly studied among workers in industry-like settings, but less so in female-dominated occupations. In Sweden, noise-related occupational disease among women are reported most frequently in the education sector. We analysed questionnaires from 4,932 women with preschool teacher’s degree who have worked in preschool compared to 5,065 randomly selected women without preschool work-history (response rate 51% vs. 38%). The age range was 24–71 in both cohorts (mean 46 [SD 11] among preschool teachers and 51 [11] among controls). Prevalence and prevalence ratio in age-strata and Mantel-Haenszel pooled risk were calculated for hearing-related symptoms. Noise exposure was compared between the cohorts. A 5% level of significance was applied. Occupational noise exposure and noise annoyance were significantly more common among teachers than controls: 75% vs.31% and 69% vs.26%, respectively. Still, significantly fewer teachers used hearing protection: 3% vs. 4%. Prevalence of hearing-related symptoms was much higher among teachers than controls: sound-induced auditory fatigue (71% [95% CI: 70–72] vs. 31% [30–32]), difficulty perceiving speech (46% [45–47] vs. 26% [25–27] and hyperacusis (38% [37–39] vs. 18% [17–19] and slightly higher for hearing loss (19% [18–20] vs. 17% [6–18] and tinnitus (19% [18–20] vs. 15% [14–16]. Teachers had a twofold risk of sound-induced auditory fatigue (PR-MH 2.2 [95% CI: 2.1–2.3] and hyperacusis (PR-MH 2.1 [1.9–2.2] compared to controls, when adjusted for age. The risk was also increased for difficulty perceiving speech (PR-MH 1.8 [1.7–1.9], tinnitus (PR-MH 1.4 [1.3–1.6] and hearing loss (PR-MH 1.4 [1.3–1.5]. Mean age of onset was significantly lower among teachers for all symptoms, except for hyperacusis (p = 0.902). Leisure-noise was significantly more common among controls. Family history of hearing loss did not differ (p = 0.411). The study is the first to show that preschool teachers have an increased risk of hearing-related symptoms, which may be caused by the work environment.
|
|
| 10. |
- Fredriksson, Sofie, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Qualitative studies on the experience of noise in communication-intense workplaces before and after a participatory intervention
- 2023
-
Ingår i: 14th ICBEN Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem, 18-22 June, Belgrade Serbia.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Personnel in communication-intense workplaces are exposed to noise, occasionally so high they risk hearing-related disorders. Still, intervention studies are few, with ambiguous results. To increase the impact and sustainability of the interventions, we used a participatory method in which personnel and managers at one preschool and one obstetrics ward were actively involved in the intervention process. To identify work environment problems to target in the intervention, we performed qualitative focus group interviews prior to the intervention among 16 personnel and managers. Four main themes emerged from the inductive thematic analysis: a challenging and harmful sound environment, the sound environment causing hearing-related symptoms and health effects, a good sound environment not being prioritised, and resourceful and motivated personnel. As the participatory intervention entailed implementation of several changes, we also performed interviews post-intervention among nine personnel and managers from the preschool and the obstetrics ward where interventions had been implemented. Five main themes emerged from the inductive thematic analysis: increased awareness of the sound environment and risks to hearing and health, increased control over the sound environment, influence of the building and interior design, other factors influencing the intervention process (concurrent work environment issues such as stress, and limited resources), and motivation to maintain the positive changes. We conclude that the personnel perceive a risk to their hearing and health and that sound environment improvements should be prioritised in communication-intense workplaces. A participatory approach may facilitate motivation and empowerment to change, but resources and support are needed for comprehensive and effective implementation.
|
|
