Conhecimento e percepção de trabalhadores expostos a ruído sobre saúde auditiva

Abstract

Introduction: Occupational health work involves monitoring the work environment, developing prevention programs such as hearing conservation program well as training and education. Workers' knowledge of occupational risks can affect their effective participation in preventive actions and campaigns, and affect their outcome. Objective: To investigate the knowledge and perception of workers exposed to noise about auditory health. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with workers exposed to noise from August to October 2021 who attended the occupational health reference service for occupational exams. Sociodemographic, occupational, and auditory health information was collected through a self-administered questionnaire about beliefs and attitudes regarding hearing loss prevention, in addition to the application of a structured questionnaire developed for the study. Data on the audiological condition and segment of these workers' company were extracted from the institution's digital medical records. Workers with a history of at least one year as an active employee of the contracting company were included and those who did not complete the questionnaire in its entirety were excluded. Results: A total of 90 workers participated in the study, mostly male, under 60 years of age, and with at least a high school degree. The construction sector represented 32% of the sample. Most workers used plug-type protectors, with noise exposure for less than 10 years, and the last hearing protection training over a year ago. The diagnosis of normal hearing was identified in 71.1% of workers, and most did not report hearing complaints. The median total score of the questionnaire was 56.5, with the highest score observed in the thematic area six, which addresses issues regarding convenience and communication with the use of EPA, revealing a lower level of knowledge about this topic, and the lowest in thematic area ten, which addresses issues related to the perception of susceptibility to acquiring hearing loss and severity, revealing a higher level of knowledge about this topic. It was found that the Metallurgy/Petrochemical segment has a higher level of knowledge in hearing protection compared to others. Longer exposure to noise was found to be correlated with a higher level of knowledge about auditory health of workers exposed to noise. Conclusion: The findings of the present study contribute to the investigation of knowledge about auditory health among workers exposed to noise, who should be prioritized in training for Hearing Conservation Programs. Additionally, they reveal factors that influence the level of knowledge about auditory health and that can be taken into consideration in the development of strategies to promote auditory health among these workers.