Sains Malaysiana 46(2)(2017): 267–274

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2017-4602-11

Prevalence of Hearing Loss and Hearing Impairment among Small and Medium Enterprise

Workers in Selangor, Malaysia

(Kelaziman Kehilangan Pendengaran dan Kecelaan Pendengaran antara Pekerja Perusahaan

Kecil dan Sederhana di Selangor, Malaysia)

SAM W.Y.¹, ANITA A.R.,¹* HAYATI K.S.¹, HASLINDA A.^1,2 & LIM C.S.¹

¹Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²Department of Social & Development Sciences, Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Received: 10 March 2016/Accepted: 16 May 2016

ABSTRACT

Factories and Machinery (Noise Exposure) Regulation 1989 has always demanded employer to protect workers from noise exposure ≥85 dB. However, noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) has been the highest notifiable occupational health issue among Malaysian workers in 2014. A cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of hearing loss (HL) among 146 adult manufacturing workers with noise exposure ≥85 dB was carried out in Selangor. Pure tone audiometry and a validated questionnaire were used to determine the hearing status and information of the respondents. The results showed that the prevalence of HL was 73.3% and the prevalence of hearing impairment was 23.3%. Male workers (63.0%) had higher prevalence of HL than female workers (36.4%). Mean hearing threshold levels of HL respondents were significantly higher than respondents with normal hearing. It was discovered that among workers with employment of more than 10 years, > 80% of them suffered from HL. Association between employment years and hearing condition (normal, non-bilateral and bilateral HL) was statistically significant, χ(4)= 10.51, p=0.033, with Kendall tau-c correlation showing positive and weak (p=0.18) association. Highest HL cases were found at 4 and 6 kHz. World Health Organisation and Factories and Machinery (Noise Exposure) Regulation 1989 classification on degree of hearing impairment showed slight to moderate hearing impairment among the respondents and both standards did not differ much (8.9% vs 6.9%, respectively). As a conclusion, prevalence of hearing loss and hearing impairment among manufacturing workers were high. Age, male sex, monthly salary and employment years were possible influencing factors.

Keywords: Audiometric test; degree of hearing impairment; manufacturing workers; noise induced hearing loss; prevalence

ABSTRAK

Peraturan Kilang dan Jentera (Pendedahan Bunyi Bising) 1989 sentiasa menuntut majikan untuk melindungi pekerja daripada pendedahan bunyi bising ≥85 dB. Walau bagaimanapun, kehilangan pendengaran akibat bunyi bising (KPABB) masih merupakan isu kesihatan pekerjaan yang paling banyak dilaporkan terjadi dalam kalangan pekerja di Malaysia pada tahun 2014. Suatu kajian keratan lintang yang bertujuan untuk mengkaji kelaziman kehilangan pendengaran (HL) dalam kalangan 146 pekerja dewasa sektor pengilangan yang didedahkan kepada bunyi bising ≥85 dB telah dijalankan di Selangor. Ujian audiometrik dan soal selidik digunakan untuk menentukan status pendengaran dan maklumat daripada responden. Keputusan kajian menunjukkan bahawa kelaziman HL adalah 73.3% dan kelaziman kecelaan pendengaran adalah 23.3%. Pekerja lelaki (63.0%) mempunyai kelaziman HL yang lebih tinggi daripada pekerja wanita (36.4%). Purata tahap ambang pendengaran responden HL adalah lebih tinggi daripada responden berpendengaran normal. Dalam kalangan pekerja yang berpengalaman bekerja lebih daripada 10 tahun, 80% daripada mereka menghidapi HL. Terdapat perkaitan antara pengalaman kerja dengan keadaan pendengaran (normal, tidak bilateral dan bilateral HL) secara statistik, χ (4) = 10.51, p=0.033, dengan kolerasi Kendall tau-c menunjukkan (p=0.18) perhubungan yang positif dan lemah. Kes HLKP yang paling tinggi adalah pada frekuensi 4 dan 6 kHz. Klasifikasi tahap kecacatan pendengaran oleh Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia dan Peraturan Kilang dan Jentera (Pendedahan Bunyi Bising) 1989 menunjukkan tahap kecacatan pendengaran responden adalah ringan kepada sederhana dan keputusan kajian berdasarkan kedua-dua piawaian tidak banyak berbeza (masing-masing 8.9% dan 6.9%). Kesimpulannya, kelaziman kehilangan pendengaran dan kecelaan pendengaran dalam kalangan pekerja sektor pengilangan adalah tinggi. Faktor yang berkemungkinan mempengaruhi HL adalah umur, lelaki, gaji bulanan serta pengalaman kerja.

Kata kunci: Kehilangan pendengaran akibat bunyi bising; kelaziman; pekerja pembuatan; tahap kecacatan pendengaran; ujian audiometric

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*Corresponding author; email: anitaar@upm.edu.my