Cross-sectional study on occupational noise and hypertension in the workplace

To determine whether noise conditions at the workplace are associated with hypertension in Japanese male blue-collar workers, the authors analyzed data obtained in an annual workplace health examination. Two hundred forty-two workers who used ear protectors at their jobs in a paper manufacturing plant served as a noisy workplace group, and 173 individuals who worked in a chemical plant comprised a nonnoisy workplace group. The prevalence of hypertension was 16.9% in the noisy workplace group and 34.7% in the nonnoisy workplace group (p < .01). A Mantel-Haenzel analysis showed the difference between the 2 groups to be significant. A logistic regression analysis with adjustment for confounding factors also showed a significant inverse association between hypertension and noise conditions at the workplace (odds ratio = 0.48; 95% confidence interval = 0.28-0.81). The implementation of guidelines for occupational noise management might have contributed to the workers' concern over the prevention of adverse health effects caused by workplace noise.