• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.573-583
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• 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 Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.126-136
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among use of earphones, stress level, and hearing threshold in university students. Methods: Study subjects included 210 university students (76 men, 134 women). Data were collected by questionnaire and audiometer from December 17 to 20, 2011. The SPSS win 19.0 program was used for data analysis by descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: 1) 4KHz, 6KHz hearing threshold of subjects who used earphones was higher than average hearing threshold of same age group. 2) Not significant differences in hearing threshold were observed according to frequency of use, and stress level. 3) Significant differences in 4KHz hearing threshold were observed according to earphone volume. 4) A significant positive correlation was observed between frequency of use and stress level (r=0.15, p<.05), earphone volume, and 4KHz hearing threshold (left) (r=0.15, p<.05); however, a negative correlation was observed between stress level and 4KHz hearing threshold (right) (r=-0.14, p<.05). Conclusion: A significant positive correlation was observed between frequency of use and stress level and earphone volume and 4KHz hearing threshold (left). Development of a program for hearing conservation is needed.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.19-25
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• 2004

Hearing aids play an very important role in aural rehabilitation for hearing impaired person who could not be medically treated. Especially, hearing aids with dynamic range compression (level dependent frequency response: LDFR) method concentrated dynamic output range of receiver into the narrowing dynamic range of sensorineural hearing impaired person. Thus, if aided hearing threshold level is improved and uncomfortable loudness level rises, then the users of hearing aids are favored with extended dynamic range. This study aims to evaluate audiological benefits in dynamic range compression hearing aids. To achieve this, pure tone and speech audiometry were examined to 15 children and 3 adults with narrow dynamic range moderate-to-severe binaural sensorineural hearing loss.

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

• MALSORI
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• no.52
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• pp.49-60
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• 2004

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effect of hearing level on fundamental frequencies in children. Participants totaled sixty children divided by three groups: congenitally deafened children with cochlear implantation(CI), congenitally deafened children with hearing aids(HA), and children with normal hearing(NH). Fundamental frequencies were measured during the sustained phonation of a vowel /a/. There was statistically significant difference of fundamental frequencies across the groups(p<.01). In post hoc analysis, HA and NH group showed statistically significant difference, but CI group didn't showed significant differences with two groups. In correlation analysis between F0 and the chronological age, there were significant negative tendencies in CI and NH group, but not in HA group. The characteristics of fundamental frequency in CI group were found similar to NH group than HA group in this study. Therefore the results of this study suggest that the hearing level is one of the influencing factors to the fundamental frequency of children.

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

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.230-234
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• 2021

Otosclerosis, a hereditary disorder characterized by disordered resorption and deposition of bone, results in progressive hearing loss. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder characterized by recurrent fractures, blue sclera, and varying degrees of hearing impairment; and is a known risk factor for otosclerosis. After adolescence, the risk of fracture decreases, reducing the need for follow-up in OI. However, otosclerosis is a progressive disorder. In this report, we discuss two cases of familial otosclerosis with different clinical features. We hypothesize that the difference in hearing level correlates with the difference in computed tomography findings. The mother, whose case was considered severe, was prescribed hearing aids, while the daughter, who had normal hearing level, was regularly followed up.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.230-234
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• 2021

Otosclerosis, a hereditary disorder characterized by disordered resorption and deposition of bone, results in progressive hearing loss. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder characterized by recurrent fractures, blue sclera, and varying degrees of hearing impairment; and is a known risk factor for otosclerosis. After adolescence, the risk of fracture decreases, reducing the need for follow-up in OI. However, otosclerosis is a progressive disorder. In this report, we discuss two cases of familial otosclerosis with different clinical features. We hypothesize that the difference in hearing level correlates with the difference in computed tomography findings. The mother, whose case was considered severe, was prescribed hearing aids, while the daughter, who had normal hearing level, was regularly followed up.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.72-81
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• 2022

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to report the case of a bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss patient whose hearing had improved by Korean medical treatment combined with threshold sound. Methods : A woman diagnosed with bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss has treated with Korean medical interventions(acupuncture combined with electromagnetic stimulation and pharmacoacupuncture) and threshold sound conditioning(TSC) for 20 weeks. Pure tone audiometry(PTA) was performed for the evaluation. Results : The average hearing level has improved from mild to normal level. The level of tinnitus has decreased from VAS 10 to VAS 4. Conclusions : We observed an improvement in a bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss patient's hearing and hereby suggest the possibility of Korean medical treatment and TSC's ameliorating effect on sensorineural hearing loss.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2012

This study was performed to understand the depression of children with hearing impairment with relation to their mothers' nurturing attitude and sign language level. The subjects were 131 hearing impaired children aged from 9 to 16 years and their mothers, who had no hearing impairments. The children's depression was assessed by CDI(Kovacs 1983) adapted by Cho and Lee(1990), and the maternal attitude was measured through the instrument developed by Oh and Lee(1982) and revised by Lim(1987). The results were as follows. First, the girls' depression was higher than the boys', and children in a dormitory type of school showed higher depression than those in a general type of school. Second, children's depression did not show differences according to mother-child communication methods but differed according to mothers' sign language level. Children whose mothers had high level of sign language showed the highest depression and those whose mothers had beginning level of sign language showed the lowest depression. And mothers' affective, goal- achieving and rational attitude were negatively related with children's depression. Third, the depression of hearing impairment children was influenced mainly by the maternal affective attitude, and the next order was the type of school the children attend.