[Hearing damage caused by workplace noise among patients given audiometry tests in general practice]

The objective of the present study was to identify the prevalence of hearing damage caused by workplace noise among patients presenting hearing loss and among those given audiometry tests at primary health care centres in the Management Area no. 5 Costa del Ponent.

The study is descriptive and synchronic.

The study was carried out at primary health care level, at the audiometry test services in the Management Area no. 5 Costa del Ponent.

2,366 audiometry tests were carried out over a period of three months. A study was performed of 1,152 patients presenting the conditions necessary for inclusion in the study: age over 16 years and presenting a hearing loss greater than 30 dB over any frequencies. All the participants were given a questionnaire investigating the risk factors involved in their hearing difficulty, in particular those relating to the workplace. FIGURES AND PRINCIPAL RESULTS: 269 (23.4%) of those in the study present hearing curves compatible with hearing loss due to noise. 501 participants declared themselves to be subject to work' place noise, and of those 247 (49.3%) present hearing curves compatible with hearing loss due to noise.

The results of the study suggests that the health system should pay attention to workplace pathology and points out the need to develop action programmes which may permit an adequate response to the problem: specific systems should be established for detection of and information about workplace diseases, together with sufficient support at different levels of attendance to make such systems effective; training programmes should be set up for health workers in the area of workplace health for health workers.