The effect of occupational noise on hearing-related symptoms - exploring mediating and modifying effect of annoyance and stress

• ABSTRACT Noise-induced hearing disorder is under reported in female-dominated occupations, hindering knowledge on associated risk factors. We performed a cross-sectional study in Sweden, including 4,718 female preschool teachers and 4,122 randomly selected women age 24-65. In hypothesised causal models, we explored the effect of occupational noise exposure (e.g. self-reported retrospective and current exposure, hearing protection) on hearing-related symptoms (hearing loss, speech perception, tinnitus, hyperacusis, soundinduced auditory fatigue). Noise annoyance, job-stress and stress response were assessed for mediating and modifying effects. Exposure to occupational noise significantly increased the risk of hearing-related symptoms among preschool teachers (RRs 1.19-1.42 in adjusted log-binomial regression models). Consistent with our hypothesis, annoyance mediated the effect of noise exposure on soundinduced auditory fatigue (indirect effect β=0.28). In contrast, annoyance modified the effect of noise exposure on both hyperacusis and speech perception. For sound-induced auditory fatigue and hyperacusis, job-stress exposure and stress response both modified the effect and significantly interacted with noise exposure. The models provide better understanding of possible mechanisms for developing hearing-related symptoms. These findings will be further explored using longitudinal design.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Arbetsmedicin och miljömedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Occupational Health and Environmental Health (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Oto-rhino-laryngologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Otorhinolaryngology (hsv//eng)

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