Tinnitus, noise and health effects in preschool environments
Year: 2012
Type: conference-paper
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The study included 93 employees at 17 preschools in the county of Umeå located in northern part ofSweden. Personal daily noise dosimeter recordings were made at five representative work days.Stationary noise recordings were made during the same days at two departments of each preschool, in theplaying halls and in the dining rooms. Besides audiometric tests, the employees rated their experiences ofthe noise, hearing and tinnitus as well as well as different health effects, on validated questionnaires.Tinnitus was reported among 31 per cent of the participants. The study group was dichotomized intoemployees with or without tinnitus. Employees with tinnitus reported higher prevalence of subjectivehearing loss, higher experiences of elevated sound levels at work, anxiety of the noise at work, chestpressure/pain, burn out symptoms, depression and reduced sleep quality. Significant differences wereseen for shoulder tension/pain. No group differences were seen for the objective personal or stationarynoise measures or the number of children present at the department. The results of the study are discussedin terms of underlying causes and the way in which the symptom interfere with experiences and healtheffects of the employees.
Authors: Sjödin, Fredrik, Landström, Ulf, Kjellberg, Anders, Lindberg, Lennart, Knutsson, Anders
Institution: University of Gävle
Language: English
Topic: Noise Effects and Management
Subfield: Acoustics and Ultrasonics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1486175142