Sensorineural hypoacusis due to industrial noise and organic solvents in the Industrial Complex in Barrancabermeja, 1977-1997
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.rfnsp.13418Keywords:
Hearing loss, noise, aromatic solvents, petrochemical industryAbstract
A retrospective analitical study was done with a sample of 745 workers of the Ecopetrol refinery in Barrancaberemeja to estimate the incidence and the prevalence of hearing loss and to compare such measures among groups of workers exposed to noise, to aromatic solvents, to noise and aromatic solvents, and non exposed. To determine the incidence, the SAL (Speech Average Loss) and ELI (Early Loss Index) scalesscales were obtained making use of the periodic audiometric examinations performed in the plant, and international standards were applied. The estimated prevalence was beetween 8% and 13.5%, and the difference was not statistically significant. The social loss of hearing, according to the SAL scale, was minimal, and the global incidence, measured by the ELI scale, was of 9.5%. Significant differences in incidence were not observed among the exposure groups. Although hearing loss was significantly more common among those who had been exposed for 10 years or longer, most of the losses were light. In a multivariate analysis, only the exposure for 20 or more years showed a statistical significant relationship with hearing loss incidence. Finally, it was pointed out that the low exposure levels to aromatic solvents -showed in previous studies- and the preventive measures routinely adopted in the plant were partially responsible for the low morbidity observed.
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