• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.217-225
• /
• 1998

In this paper, the analysis of the relation between noise induced hearing loss and noise exposure is described for the A-weighted noise levels and exposure duration. The hearing loss and sensitivity threshold shift is investigated by changing the various parameters such as the effects of aging and noise exposure. Total hearing loss is proportional to a function of exposure level based upon the integral of pressure with time. If the noise exposure term is large so that the presbycusis may be neglected, the hearing loss due to aging and noise exposure becomes the noise induced hearing loss. It is shown that exposure to excessive noise can cause temporary loss of hearing that may become permanent if the exposure is prolonged or intense. An audiogram taken from a person suffering from noise induced hearing loss will usually show the greatest loss of hearing sensitivity in the 4kHz region, which is typically the region most sensitive to damage resulting from many types of industrial noise.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.573-583
• /
• 2015

Objectives: This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of noise exposure and aging on changes in hearing threshold level and the relationship between age and noise. Materials: The author selected 274 male shipyard and assembly line workers as the noise exposed group and 582 males not exposed to noise as the general population group. Data were collected from five years of consecutive annual audiometric tests performed from 2008 to 2012. Results: In the general population and noise exposed groups, there was a reverse phenomenon that hearing threshold level for 2009 was lower than that of 2008, which seemed to be due to the learning effect, but from 2010 hearing threshold level increased. In the noise exposed group, the mean hearing threshold level in the left ear was significantly higher than that for right ear. In the general population group, the older was the age, the higher was the hearing threshold level, especially at 4000 Hz. In the general population and noise exposed groups, frequency, age group and noise exposure independently affected hearing threshold level, and there was no relationship between age and noise exposure. Over all frequencies, the change of hearing threshold level was larger in the noise exposed group than in the general population group. In the noise exposed group below thirty years old, the change at 4000 Hz was remarkable. Conclusions: Age and noise exposure seem to affect hearing threshold level independently and contribute to an additive effect on hearing threshold level.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.29 no.2 s.53
• /
• pp.371-384
• /
• 1996

The purpose of this study is to investigate attitude factor related to hearing conservation and to find attitude affecting the preventive behavior for hearing conservation. The research method used in this study was self-administered questionnaire. Samples of the study were composed of 353 workers exposed noise selected randomly in 10 ship-building manufacturing companies. Authors extracted following 9 factors related hearing conservation from 26 attitude propositions prepared from previous study results and health belief model; (1) general perceived susceptibility, (2) relative perceived susceptibility compared with colleagues, (3) concern to the personal protective devices, (4) perceived severity and concern to the hearing capacity, (5) concern to the hearing and noise assessment, (6) concern to the control noise and hearing conservation, (7) group pressure and reason of wearing protective devices, (8) apathy of hearing loss from noise, (9) knowledge about hearing conservation. Attitude factors affecting the preventive health behavior were general perceived susceptibility, concern to the noise control and hearing conservation, and concern to the personal protective devices in the case of wearing personal protective devices. But in the case of avoiding noise exposure as preventive health behavior, perceived severity and concern to the hearing capacity was a significant attitude factor with knowledge about hearing conservation.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.171-177
• /
• 2021

Background and Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to validate the performance and diagnostic efficacy of the Korean digits-in-noise (K-DIN) test in comparison to the Korean speech perception-in-noise (K-SPIN) test, which is the representative speech-in-noise test in clinical practice. Subjects and Methods: Twenty-seven subjects (15 normal-hearing and 12 hearing-impaired listeners) participated. The recorded Korean 0-9 digits were used to form quasirandom digit triplets; 50 target digit triplets were presented at the most comfortable level of each subject while presenting speech-shaped background noise at various levels of signal-to-noise ratios (-12.5, -10, -5, or +5 dB). Subjects were then instructed to listen to both target and noise masker unilaterally and bilaterally through a headphone. K-SPIN test was also conducted using the same procedure as the K-DIN. After calculating their percent correct responses, K-DIN and K-SPIN results were compared using a Pearson-correlation test. Results: Results showed a statistically significant correlation between K-DIN and K-SPIN in all hearing conditions (left: r=0.814, p<0.001; right: r=0.788, p<0.001; bilateral: r=0.727, p<0.001). Moreover, the K-DIN test achieved better testing efficacy, shorter average listening time (5 min vs. 30 min), and easier performance of task according to participants' qualitative reports than the K-SPIN test. Conclusions: In this study, the Korean version of digit triplet test was validated in both normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners. The findings suggest that the K-DIN test can be used as a simple and time-efficient hearing-in-noise test in audiology clinics in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.171-177
• /
• 2021

Background and Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to validate the performance and diagnostic efficacy of the Korean digits-in-noise (K-DIN) test in comparison to the Korean speech perception-in-noise (K-SPIN) test, which is the representative speech-in-noise test in clinical practice. Subjects and Methods: Twenty-seven subjects (15 normal-hearing and 12 hearing-impaired listeners) participated. The recorded Korean 0-9 digits were used to form quasirandom digit triplets; 50 target digit triplets were presented at the most comfortable level of each subject while presenting speech-shaped background noise at various levels of signal-to-noise ratios (-12.5, -10, -5, or +5 dB). Subjects were then instructed to listen to both target and noise masker unilaterally and bilaterally through a headphone. K-SPIN test was also conducted using the same procedure as the K-DIN. After calculating their percent correct responses, K-DIN and K-SPIN results were compared using a Pearson-correlation test. Results: Results showed a statistically significant correlation between K-DIN and K-SPIN in all hearing conditions (left: r=0.814, p<0.001; right: r=0.788, p<0.001; bilateral: r=0.727, p<0.001). Moreover, the K-DIN test achieved better testing efficacy, shorter average listening time (5 min vs. 30 min), and easier performance of task according to participants' qualitative reports than the K-SPIN test. Conclusions: In this study, the Korean version of digit triplet test was validated in both normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners. The findings suggest that the K-DIN test can be used as a simple and time-efficient hearing-in-noise test in audiology clinics in Korea.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.186-192
• /
• 2012

Noise is a major cause of hearing loss in the air base. There are lots of risk factors of hearing loss including noise, and hearing loss can be accelerated by combined effects of these risk factors. Here in, we reviewed risk factors of hearing loss, and analysed key risk factors inducing hearing loss in the air base. Risk factors exacerbating hearing loss with noise were mainly investigated in this research because noise could not be an avoidable risk factor in the air base. Analysed data will contribute to make green environment minimizing hearing loss of pilots and supporting personnels in the air base.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.41-55
• /
• 1999

In order to evaluate the effects of knowledge, attitude and practice on noise-induced hearing loss or hearing threshold level, questionnaire survey was performed and hearing thresholds of 1 kHz and 4 kHz were measured on 1,040 subjects with workers exposed to noise, safety and health officers. industrial hygienists, analysts rind office workers. The results were as follows ; 1. The following 6 factors were obtained by factor analysis and factor rotation of 30 questionnaire of knowledge, attitude and practice about noise; knowledge of noise (F1), concern of hearing protective devices (F2), concern of noise induced hearing loss (F3), concern of noise level and hearing impairment (F4), concern of noise in workplace (F5) and recognition of noised-induced hearing loss (F6). 56.1% of variance was explained by 6 factors. 2. Significant variables influencing knowledge, attitude and practice about noise were education level and age in F1, personal protective devices (PPE) and education level in F2, age and education level in F3, education level, age and sex in F4, PPE, education level, age and work duration in F5, and work duration and PPE in F6. 3. Hearing thresholds of 4 kHz were significantly higher in workers exposed to noise than that of in the other subjects and tended to be higher in industrial hygienists, safety and health officers and analysts than that of the office workers. 4. Significant variables influencing hearing thresholds of 1 kHz were age, education level, F5 and F6 in workers exposed to noise, and F1 in industrial hygienists. 5. Significant variables influencing hearing thresholds of 4 kHz were age, F6, sex, work duration, F1, F5, F2 and F3 in workers exposed to noise, F1 and age in safety and health officers, and F6, sex and F4 in industrial hygienists. With the above results, it suggested that workers exposed to noise be needed the education of knowledge, attitude and practice about noise in hearing conservation program for the prevention of noise induced hearing loss. Also, it suggested that health managers in workplace be needed countermeasures to prevent hearing loss although they are intermittently exposed to noise.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.128-132
• /
• 2008

The noise levels and individual employee noise exposure levels within a factory will determine the need for hearing conservation program. The difficulty in not having an effective hearing conservation program is the risk of hearing loss that employees may sustain. In the last few years the claims for hearing loss compensation have grown due to class action litigation brought against the employer and companies that have equipment in the factory alleged to have caused hearing loss. The Blower in the factory generates the noise of 98.3dB(A) in the frequency range of 2,000Hz, which may cause occupational hearing loss. By designing close type enclosures which are made of absorption material, about 24.4dB(A) reduction has been in the factory. It is demonstrated that this kind of enclosures can be effectively used to reduce the noise in the factory.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.732-743
• /
• 2007

Background noise is one of the major complaints of not only hearing impaired persons but also normal listeners. This paper describes the results of two experiments in which speech recognition performance was determined for listeners with normal hearing and sensorineural hearing loss in noise environment. First, we compared speech enhancement algorithms by evaluation speech recognition ability in various speech-to-noise ratios and types of noise. Next, speech enhancement algorithms by reducing background noise were presented and evaluated to improve speech intelligibility for sensorineural hearing impairment listeners. We tested three noise reduction methods using single-microphone, such as spectrum subtraction and companding, Wiener filter method, and maximum likelihood envelop estimation. Their responses in background noise were investigated and compared with those by the speech enhancement algorithm that presented in this paper. The methods improved speech recognition test score for the sensorineural hearing impaired listeners, but not for normal listeners. The results suggest the speech enhancement algorithm with the loudness compression can improve speech intelligibility for listeners with sensorineural hearing loss.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.199-206
• /
• 2020

Background: In a wide range of industries, noise-induced hearing loss remains one of the most prevalent occupational problems. This study aimed to assess the noise exposure level and associated factors of hearing loss among textile workers in Yangon Region, Myanmar. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a Textile mill (Thamine), Yangon Region, from April to December 2018. In total, 226 workers who were randomly selected from 3 weaving sections participated in face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. A digital sound level meter and pure-tone audiometer were used for the assessment of noise exposure level and hearing loss, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the associated factors of hearing loss. Results: In total workers, 66.4% were exposed to ≥85 dB(A) of noise exposure, and the prevalence of hearing loss was 25.7%. Age ≥35 years, below high school education, hearing difficulty, tinnitus, hypertension, > 9 years of service duration in a textile mill were positively associated with hearing loss. After adjusting confounding factors, age ≥35 years (adjusted odds ratio = 6.90, 95% confidence interval = 3.45-13.82) and tinnitus (adjusted odds ratio = 2.88, 95% confidence interval = 1.13-7.37) were persistently associated with hearing loss. Conclusion: Providing occupational hazard education and enforcement of occupational safety regulations should be taken to decrease the noise exposure level. The regular audiometry test should be conducted for assessment of hearing threshold shift. The employer needs to implement a hearing conservation program in workplace when noise exposure reaches or exceeds 85 dB(A) for 8 hours.