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Original Article

Modelling the risk of noise-induced hearing loss among military pilots

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Pages 79-84 | Received 11 Jul 2002, Accepted 28 Jan 2003, Published online: 07 Jul 2009
 

Abstract

Noise is a significant risk factor in aviation, especially in military aviation. Even though our earlier studies have shown that the risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among military pilots is small and the monitoring of their hearing is effective, we still need to develop methods of assessing the risk of NIHL more effectively at both the general and individual levels. In addition, many other risk factors are considered to contribute to the development of hearing impairment. The novel NoiseScan data management system enables assessment of the risk of developing hearing impairment on the basis of known risk factors. This study investigates the risk of hearing impairment among Finnish Air Force pilots using reasonably accurate noise exposure data and other risk factors for hearing impairment. This risk is also compared with that of industrial workers, whose risk followed the ISO 1999 prediction. Hearing among Finnish military pilots turned out to be better than predicted by the ISO 1999 model. The industrial workers had a larger number of risk factors than the pilots. Owing to the small number of risk factors, the hearing of pilots corresponds to approximately the 80th percentile, being 9-13 dB better than the 50th percentile obtained with the industrial population.

Sumario

El ruido es un importante factor de riesgo en la aviación, especialmente en la aviación militar. Aunque nuestros anteriores estudios mostraron que el riesgo de hipoacusia inducida por ruido (NIHL) entre pilotos militares es bajo y que el monitoreo de su audición es efectivo, seguimos necesitando el desarrollo de métodos de evaluación más efectivos para el riesgo de NIHL, tanto a nivel general como individual. Además, se considera que existen otros muchos factores de riesgo que contribuyen con el desarrollo de una alteración auditiva. El novedoso sistema de manejo de datos NoiseScan permite la evaluación del riesgo de desarrollar un trastorno auditivo con base en factores de riesgo conocidos. Este estudio investiga el riesgo de hipoacusia entre los pilotos de la Fuerza Aérea Finlandesa utilizando datos razonablemente exactos sobre exposición a ruido y otros factores de riesgo para generar alteraciones auditivas. También se compara este riesgo con el de los obreros industriales, que correspondió a la predicción ISO 1999. La audición entre los pilotos militares finlandeses resultó ser mejor que la predicción establecida por el modelo ISO1999. Los obreros industriales tuvieron un mayor número de factores de riesgo que los pilotos. Debido al bajo número de factores de riesgo, la audición en los pilotos corresponde aproximadamente al percentil 80, unos 9-13 dB mejor que el percentil 50 obtenido en la población industrial.

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