[Relationship between the level of total exposure to noise among private farmers and the degree of hearing loss]

Abstract

Background: In Poland, the problem of noise risk among farmers has been poorly recognized and underestimated by the decision-making circles. The objective of the study was to determine the relationship between exposure to noise during the whole period of employment and degree of hearing loss.

Material and methods: The scope of the study covered the dosimetric measurements of noise, time-schedules of farming activities, and hearing examinations in a selected group of 44 farmers. The basic acoustic parameter was the dose during the whole period of employment. The analysis of the state of hearing in private farmers was based on three mean values defined as pure tone average (PTA) for frequency high frequency average (HFA) for frequency and the Cabinet Ordinance of 2002 (mean pure tone average for frequency). The relationship between hearing loss and the dose during the whole period of employment was investigated by means of linear regression analysis.

Results: The studies of the annual exposure to noise among private farmers showed that there is a high noise risk during the summer-autumn period, which covers three months (August, September, October). The degree of hearing impairment significantly increased with age and the dose during the whole period of employment.

Conclusions: The results of the study allow predicting the upward tendency to hearing loss during occupational noise exposure of farmers to.