Demographics, explanatory and adjustment variables and hearing-related outcomes from questionnaire survey among personnel at the general obstetrics ward
| Grouping by noise index quartiles | Total | 95% CI of total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| Number of participants | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 115 | – |
| Demographics | ||||||
| Mean age in years (SD) | 39 (10) | 39 (7) | 45 (8) | 57 (5) | 45 (11) | 42.8 to 46.8 |
| Mean years worked (SD) | 3 (2) | 6 (2) | 14 (3) | 28 (6) | 12 (11) | 10.3 to 14.3 |
| Professional groups in %* | 54/36/11 | 69/24/7 | 69/21/10 | 76/21/3 | 68/25/7 | – |
| Explanatory/adjustment variables | ||||||
| Occupational noise index, range | 4.5–9.5 | 10–15 | 16–26 | 27–64 | 4.5–64 | 16.8 to 21.2 |
| Work-related stress, % | 43 | 52 | 31 | 41 | 42 | 32.9 to 51.1 |
| Noise annoyance at work, % | 50 | 45 | 55 | 45 | 49 | 39.8 to 58.2 |
| Ever smoker, % | 36 | 48 | 28 | 25 | 34 | 25.3 to 42.7 |
| Leisure noise exposure, % | 14 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 6.8 to 19.2 |
| Outcome variables (%) | ||||||
| Sound-induced auditory fatigue | 21 | 24 | 41 | 41 | 32 | 23.4 to 40.6 |
| Tinnitus | 7 | 11 | 10 | 24 | 13 | 6.8 to 19.2 |
| Sound sensitivity | 7 | 17 | 17 | 10 | 13 | 6.8 to 19.2 |
| Poor hearing | 11 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 9.3 to 22.7 |
| Hearing loss | 4 | 7 | 21 | 4 | 9 | 3.7 to 14.3 |
| Difficulty perceiving speech | 39 | 31 | 24 | 36 | 32 | 23.4 to 40.6 |
| Any symptom† | 54 | 48 | 55 | 63 | 55 | 45.9 to 64.1 |
Prevalence is presented categorised in four noise index groups based on quartiles of the index (1–4) and as total prevalence in the study sample. Percentages are given as column per cent in noise index quartile groups and per cent of total.
*Proportion of Midwife/Assistant nurse/Other. Other also includes missing.
†Any symptom was constructed as a binary variable including all those who reported either sound-induced auditory fatigue, tinnitus, sound sensitivity, poor hearing, hearing loss or difficulty perceiving speech.