Objective: To translate and cross-culturally adapt the Noise Exposure Questionnaire (NEQ) and 1-Minute Noise Screen (NEQ-S) instruments to Brazilian Portuguese.
Methods: Procedures widely known in health research were used in the translation and cross-cultural adaptation process, comprising the following steps: initial translation, synthesis of translations, back-translation, expert committee, pretest, and content and layout validation. Altogether, 60 workers participated in the pretest by answering the questionnaires and then evaluating them in terms of understandability, layout, clarity, and writing.
Recent studies involving guinea pigs have shown that noise can damage the synapses between the inner hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons, even with normal hearing thresholds-which makes it important to investigate this kind of impairment in humans. The aim was to investigate, with multiple audiological assessments, the auditory function of normal hearing workers exposed to occupational noise. Altogether, 60 workers were assessed (30 in the noise-exposure group [NEG], who were exposed to occupational noise, and 30 in the control group [CG], who were not exposed to occupational noise); the workers were matched according to age.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: This study evaluates the exposure of call center operators (CCOs) to occupational noise, its association with auditory and nonauditory symptoms, and the feasibility of monaural and binaural headsets.
Method: We measured the noise exposure sound pressure levels (SPLs) with the microphone-in-real-ear technique and administered a questionnaire on auditory/nonauditory symptoms and headset preference.
Results: We assessed 79 CCOs with normal hearing.
This study aimed to compare speech intelligibility in noise with and without hearing protection devices (HPDs). . Fifty-one workers were distributed into three groups: noise-induced hearing loss group (NIHLG), normally hearing noise-exposed group (NG) and normally hearing non-exposed to noise group (CG).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Noise in the school environment has been a major concern in many countries around the world. Students need a favorable signal-to-noise ratio in the classroom to ensure adequate speech intelligibility, which is directly dependent on the acoustics of the classroom and favorable noise levels in these environments.
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of physical, organizational, and educational interventions to achieve noise reduction in a school.
Purpose The aims of this study were to characterize hearing symptoms, habits, and sound pressure levels (SPLs) of personal audio system (PAS) used by young adults; estimate the risk of developing hearing loss and assess whether instructions given to users led to behavioral changes; and propose recommendations for PAS users. Method A cross-sectional study was performed in 50 subjects with normal hearing. Procedures included questionnaire and measurement of PAS SPLs (real ear and manikin) through the users' own headphones and devices while they listened to four songs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Discrepancies between attenuation obtained in the laboratory and the field are caused by several factors associated with hearing protection devices (HPDs). The effects of some factors can be minimized with proper training provided to HPD users.
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention for improving the correct use of earplugs as HPDs in workers exposed to occupational noise by using the F-MIRE method and by comparing pre- and post-training attenuation values and pass/fail rates.
Purpose To evaluate the effectiveness of the attenuation of a hearing protector (HP) in a real work situation using the field-microphone-in-real-ear method (f-MIRE). Methods Eighteen individuals of both genders (mean age of 47.17±8 years) participated in this study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To determine the efficacy of hearing protector insertion by comparing attenuation values measured by objective (MIRE) and subjective (REAT) methods in groups with and without training.
Methods: The study included 80 male subjects assigned to experimental (with training) and control (without training) groups. The following procedures were performed: occupational history, objective and subjective assessment of hearing protectors.
Purpose: To verify the effectiveness of an educational action in the form of training, emphasizing the importance of hearing protection for workers exposed to occupational noise.
Methods: The study included 78 male individuals. All participants answered a questionnaire before they were submitted to audiological evaluation.