Effect of green space in the workplace on hearing thresholds in noise exposed population

The association between greenness exposure and hearing thresholds and the underlying mechanism are unclear. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aims to assess the relationship between greenness exposure and hearing thresholds and whether this relationship is mediated by air pollutants. Our study involved 6016 occupational people examined at an occupational disease screening center. Mean exposure concentrations of air pollutants and green indices [Standardized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI)] were assessed for 250 m, 500 m, and 1000 m buffer zones according to work address. A generalized linear model was used to assess the association between the two, taking into account the influence of workplace clustering effects and applying cluster-robust standard errors (CRSE) to correct for clustering effects. Mediation analysis was used to examine the impact of air pollutant exposure on these associations. After correcting for confounders, compared to the lowest quartile group, exposure to more green space significantly improves hearing thresholds. However, we have not yet found a significant association between air pollutants and the relationship between exposure to green environments and hearing thresholds. Sensitivity analyses also yielded similar results. In summary, increasing exposure to visible green environments outdoors in the workplace may help protect hearing thresholds, but the protective mechanism requires further investigation.