A correlation between job attitude and susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss

The purpose of the present study was to measure the job attitude of industrial employees by a job attitude index and compare the results with growth of hearing loss in those workers.

Twenty adult male industrial workers from a certain area of the plant served as subjects for this study. Each subject answered a questionnaire verbally regarding age, years on the job, other noise exposure, etc. designed to determine whether he fulfilled the requirements for participation in the study.

The intensity of noise in the area was measured with respect to spectral distribution among the octave bands 31.5, 63, 125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000, 16000, and 31.500 Hertz. Results of sound measurements indicate some locations in the area slightly exceed 90 dBA making the area marginal for hearing health and ideal for the present study.

Pure tone air conduction audiometry was administered to each subject. The test frequencies were 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 6000, and 8o0o Hz. Results were compared to 1977 previous audiograms and two groups of greater and lesser threshold shift were formed.

The Job Descriptive Index (Smith, 1975) was utilized to measure job attitude. Each subject filled out the index with five separate subtests being measured. These subtests were: 'work," "pay," "promotions," "supervision," and "co-workers." Results of the JDI were compared at each subtest between the two groups.

The results of the study indicated no significant differences in job attitude at any subtest of the JDi between the threshold shift and the non-threshold shift group. Trends were shown to exist, however, between age and hearing impairment and between years on the job and hearing impairment. Possible explanations for these results are included