J Agric Med Community Health.  2023 Mar;48(1):41-49. 10.5393/JAMCH.2023.48.1.041.

Characteristics of Noise Induced Hearing Loss of Fishermen Visiting a General Hospital

• Chung YS
• Kim CH

• KMID: 2549225
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5393/JAMCH.2023.48.1.041

Abstract

Objectives
To obtain audiologic basic data to diagnose the noise induced hearing loss of workers in fisheries.
Methods
The charts of the referred fishermen with noise induced hearing loss from November 2022 to February 2023 at a general hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry, auditory brainstem response test and auditory steady state response test were conducted.
Results
All of them were men over 60 years of age, and the average duration of exposure to noise was 38.9 ± 10.8 years, and the average symptom duration of hearing loss was 13.4 ± 4.3 years. Although the hearing thresholds in the high frequencies were higher than thresholds in the low frequencies, the audiogram showed a down-sloping pattern without rebound at 8 kHz. 10.5% of the cases had thresholds greater than 75 dB in high frequencies, but 57.9% had thresholds greater than 40 dB in low frequencies. Other hearing test results of fishermen were similar to those of general noise-induced hearing loss.
Conclusions
Although the fishermen were exposed to noise for a long time, they recognized hearing loss late. The hearing threshold in lower frequencies of the fishermen was higher than expected. Further studies will be needed to analyze the audiologic characteristics of noise-induced hearing loss of the fishermen after confirming noise exposure by conducting a survey on the working environment, such as the noise level and working hours.

Keyword

Fisheries; Noise; Hearing loss