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Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2013; 17(01): 080-084
DOI: 10.7162/S1809-97772013000100014
Review Article
Thieme Publicações Ltda Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Firefighters' noise exposure: A literature review

Carla Linhares Taxini
1   Speech Therapist. Masters Student in Human Communication Disorders at the State University of São Paulo -UNESP- Marília/SP - Brazil.
,
Heraldo Lorena Guida
2   Phd in Biological Sciences- UNESP Campus of the State University of São Paulo -UNESP- Botucatu/SP- Brazil. Professor at the Speech Therapy Department of the Faculty of Philosophy and Science at the State University of São Paulo - UNESP-Marília/SP - Brazil.
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Further Information

Publication History

22 August 2012

04 November 2012

Publication Date:
06 January 2014 (online)

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Summary

Aim: To review the literature about the effects of environmental noise on the hearing ability of firefighters.

Method: The PubMed and Scielo databases were searched and studies from 2002 to 2012 that included the keywords firefighters, noise, and hearing loss were identified. Initially, 24 studies were selected, but only 10 met the inclusion criteria of investigating the effects of occupational noise on firefighters.

Results: Only 2 (20%) studies quantified levels of sound pressure and performed audiological tests to identify associations with noise intensity and 3 (30%) questionnaire-based studies reported that these professionals are more susceptible to hearing loss. Four (50%) studies found that noise exposure damages the auditory system in this population.

Discussion: These findings indicate that there is a necessity for preventive measures to be adopted by this population since it is considered to be at risk.

Conclusion: In recent years, there have been few studies of firefighters' exposure to occupational noise, but our findings show the importance of new studies that include proper means of quantifying their exposure to noise in different work environments, in order to identify possible adverse conditions as well as to aid in the diagnosis of hearing loss.

Keywords

Noise - Military personnel - Hearing Loss - Hearing - Hearing Loss - Noise-Induced
 

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