Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss among Migrant Workers in Kuwait

Mariam Buqammaz 1, Janvier Gasana 1, Barrak Alahmad 1, Mohammed Shebl 2, Dalia Albloushi 3

Affiliations

16 May 2021

-

doi: 10.3390/ijerph18105295

Abstract

Although the effect of hearing loss on years lived with disability (YLD) is quite substantial, occupational hearing loss among migrant workers is significantly under-studied. In Kuwait, where nearly two-thirds of the population are migrant workers, the burden of occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) is unknown. The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of ONIHL among migrant workers in Kuwait and explore workplace and individual risk factors that are associated with ONIHL. We obtained data of annual physical exams for the year 2018 conducted by the Shuaiba Industrial Medical Center (SIMC) for all industrial workers in the area. We applied univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to estimate the effects of individual and occupational characteristics on ONIHL. A total of 3474 industrial workers visited the SIMC for an annual exam. The vast majority were men (99%) and non-Kuwaitis (98%) with a median age of 38 years. A total of 710 workers were diagnosed with ONIHL with a prevalence of 20.4%. Age, years of experience, and self-reported exposure to noise were associated with statistically significant higher odds of ONIHL. When adjusted for age, years of experience, and other individual level factors, type of industry was not a statistically significant predictor of ONIHL. The study uncovers the significant burden of hearing loss among the migrant worker subpopulation in Kuwait, an area of occupational health that is often underestimated or unrecognized. Although laws and regulations are in place to prevent and control noise in the workplace, the onus is on local authorities to ensure the necessary training and controls aimed to reduce noise exposure.

Keywords: migrants; noise; occupational noise induced hearing loss.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Similar articles

Productivity Burden of Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Australia: A Life Table Modelling Study.

Si S, Lewkowski K, Fritschi L, Heyworth J, Liew D, Li I.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Jun 29;17(13):4667. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17134667.PMID: 32610505 Free PMC article.

Estimating miners at risk for occupational noise-induced hearing loss: A review of data from a South African platinum mine.

Ntlhakana L, Nelson G, Khoza-Shangase K.S Afr J Commun Disord. 2020 Mar 26;67(2):e1-e8. doi: 10.4102/sajcd.v67i2.677.PMID: 32242442 Free PMC article.

Occupationally-acquired noise-induced hearing loss: a senseless workplace hazard.

Kurmis AP, Apps SA.Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2007;20(2):127-36. doi: 10.2478/v10001-007-0016-2.PMID: 17638679 Review.

An overview of occupational noise-induced hearing loss among workers: epidemiology, pathogenesis, and preventive measures.

Chen KH, Su SB, Chen KT.Environ Health Prev Med. 2020 Oct 31;25(1):65. doi: 10.1186/s12199-020-00906-0.PMID: 33129267 Free PMC article. Review.

Socio-economic disparity in the global burden of occupational noise-induced hearing loss: an analysis for 2017 and the trend since 1990.

Zhou H, Zhou Y, Zhang H, Yu A, Zhu B, Zhang L.Occup Environ Med. 2021 Feb;78(2):125-128. doi: 10.1136/oemed-2020-106556. Epub 2020 Aug 24.PMID: 32839184

Cited by

Occupational Asthma Prevalence among Migrant Workers Attending Shuaiba Industrial Medical Center in Kuwait.

Alhadlaq HW, Ateeq A, Shayea AMF, Gasana J.Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Jul 13;11(14):2021. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11142021.PMID: 37510462 Free PMC article.

The Effect of Noise Exposure on High-Frequency Hearing Loss among Chinese Workers: A Meta-Analysis.

Yang P, Xie H, Li Y, Jin K.Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Apr 10;11(8):1079. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11081079.PMID: 37107914 Free PMC article. Review.

Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Iran: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Etemadinezhad S, Sammak Amani A, Moosazadeh M, Rahimlou M, Samaei SE.Iran J Public Health. 2023 Feb;52(2):278-289. doi: 10.18502/ijph.v52i2.11881.PMID: 37089160 Free PMC article. Review.

Occupational exposure to BTEX and styrene in West Asian countries: a brief review of current state and limits.

Rahimpoor R, Sarvi F, Rahimnejad S, Ebrahimi SM.Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2022 Jul 7;73(2):107-118. doi: 10.2478/aiht-2022-73-3634.PMID: 35792774 Free PMC article. Review.

KMEL References

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

References

  1.  
    1. International Labour Office . Protection of Workers against Noise and Vibration in the Working Environment. 3rd ed. International Labour Office; Geneva, Switzerland: 1984. [(accessed on 6 May 2021)]. Available online: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---protrav/---saf....
  2.  
    1. European Agency for Safety and Health at Work The Impact of Noise at Work. Belgium. [(accessed on 6 May 2021)];2005 Available online: https://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/factsheet-57-impact-noise-work.
  3.  
    1. Otoghile B., Onakoya P., Otoghile C. Effects of occupational noise on quality of life. Int. J. Otorhinolaryngol. Head Neck Surg. 2018;4:1142. doi: 10.18203/issn.2454-5929.ijohns20183690. - DOI
  4.  
    1. Loud Noise Dangers. [(accessed on 6 May 2021)];2021 Available online: https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/loud-noise-dangers/#:~:text=Sounds%2....
  5.  
    1. Chen K., Su S., Chen K. An overview of occupational noise-induced hearing loss among workers: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, and preventive measures. Environ. Health Prev. Med. 2020;25:1–10. doi: 10.1186/s12199-020-00906-0. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
  6.  
    1. Nelson D., Nelson R., Concha-Barrientos M., Fingerhut M. The global burden of occupational noise-induced hearing loss. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2005;48:446–458. doi: 10.1002/ajim.20223. - DOI - PubMed
  7.  
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Loud Noises Damage Hearing. [(accessed on 1 May 2019)];2019 Available online: https://www.cdc.gov/media/dpk/injury-violence-safety/noise-induced-heari....
  8.  
    1. Chisolm T., Johnson C., Danhauer J., Portz L., Abrams H., Lesner S., McCarthy P., Newman C. A systematic review of health-related quality of life and hearing aids: Final report of the American Academy of Audiology Task Force on the health-related quality of life benefits of amplification in adults. J. Am. Acad. Audiol. 2007;18:151–183. doi: 10.3766/jaaa.18.2.7. - DOI - PubMed
  9.  
    1. Li C.M., Zhang X., Hoffman H.J., Cotch M.F., Themann C.L., Wilson M.R. Hearing impairment associated with depression in US adults, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2010. JAMA Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg. 2014;140:293–302. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2014.42. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
  10.  
    1. Lin F.R., Albert M. Hearing loss and dementia—Who is listening? Aging Ment. Health. 2014;18:671–673. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2014.915924. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
  11.  
    1. Friis R. Essentials of Environmental Health. 3rd ed. Jones & Bartlett Learning; Burlington, MA, USA: 2019.
  12.  
    1. Lie A., Skogstad M., Johnsen T.S., Engdahl B., Tambs K. Noise-induced hearing loss in a longitudinal study of Norwegian railway workers. BMJ Open. 2016;6:e011923. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011923. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
  13.  
    1. PACI . The Public Authority for Civil Information. Government of Kuwait; Kuwait City, Kuwait: 2019.
  14.  
    1. Moyce S., Schenker M. Migrant workers and their occupational health and safety. Annu. Rev. Public Health. 2018;39:351–365. doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040617-013714. - DOI - PubMed
  15.  
    1. Rabinowitz P., Sircar K., Tarabar S., Galusha D., Slade M. Hearing loss in migrant agricultural workers. J. Agromed. 2005;10:9–17. doi: 10.1300/J096v10n04_04. - DOI - PubMed
  16.  
    1. Low W., Tong W., Binns C. Migrant workers in Asia Pacific and their rights to health. Asia Pac. J. Public Health. 2015;27:584–587. doi: 10.1177/1010539515600007. - DOI - PubMed
  17.  
    1. Al-Fajjam S., Samir A. Work-Related Accidents Referred to Industrial Medical Center, Kuwait, From 2015 To 2017. Egypt. J. Occup. Med. 2018;42:285–302.
  18.  
    1. Rabinowitz P.M. In: Noise-Induced Hearing Loss: Scientific Advanced, Springer Handbook of Auditory Research. Le Prell C., Henderson D., Fay R., Popper A., editors. Springer Science; New York, NY, USA: 2012.
  19.  
    1. Mirza R., Kirchner B., Dobie R., Crawford J. Occupational noise-induced hearing loss. J. Occup. Environ. Med. 2018;60:498–500. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001423. - DOI - PubMed
  20.  
    1. Leensen M., van Duivenbooden J., Dreschler W. A retrospective analysis of noise-induced hearing loss in the Dutch construction industry. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health. 2011;84:577–590. doi: 10.1007/s00420-010-0606-3. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
  21.  
    1. Frederiksen T.W., Ramlau-Hansen C.H., Stokholm Z.A., Grynderup M.B., Hansen Å.M., Kristiansen J., Vestergaard J.M., Bonde J.P., Kolstad H.A. Noise-induced hearing loss—A preventable disease? Results of a 10-year longitudinal study of workers exposed to occupational noise. Noise Health. 2017;19:103. - PMC - PubMed
  22.  
    1. Wang Y., Hirose K., Liberman M.C. Dynamics of noise-induced cellular injury and repair in the mouse cochlea. J. Assoc. Res. Otolaryngol. 2002;3:248–268. doi: 10.1007/s101620020028. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
  23.  
    1. Yamane H., Nakai Y., Takayama M., Iguchi H., Nakagawa T., Kojima A. Appearance of free radicals in the guinea pig inner ear after noise-induced acoustic trauma. Eur. Arch. Oto Rhino Laryngol. 1995;252:504–508. doi: 10.1007/BF02114761. - DOI - PubMed
  24.  
    1. Ali S., Morgan M., Ali U. Is it reasonable to use 1 and 8 kHz anchor points in the medico-legal diagnosis and estimation of noise-induced hearing loss? Clin. Otolaryngol. 2014;40:255–259. doi: 10.1111/coa.12362. - DOI - PubMed
  25.  
    1. Fridberger A., Flock A., Ulfendahl M., Flock B. Acoustic overstimulation increases outer hair cell Ca2+ concentrations and causes dynamic contractions of the hearing organ. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 1998;95:7127–7132. doi: 10.1073/pnas.95.12.7127. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
  26.  
    1. Orrenius S., Zhivotovsky B., Nicotera P. Regulation of cell death: The calcium–apoptosis link. Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol. 2003;4:552–565. doi: 10.1038/nrm1150. - DOI - PubMed
  27.  
    1. Helleman H., Jansen E., Dreschler W. Otoacoustic emissions in a hearing conservation program: General applicability in longitudinal monitoring and the relation to changes in pure-tone thresholds. Int. J. Audiol. 2010;49:410–419. doi: 10.3109/14992020903527616. - DOI - PubMed
  28.  
    1. Shargorodsky J., Curhan G., Farwell W. Prevalence and Characteristics of Tinnitus among US Adults. Am. J. Med. 2010;123:711–718. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2010.02.015. - DOI - PubMed
  29.  
    1. EU 2003—EU . Directive 2003/10/EC on the Minimum Health and Safety Requirements Regarding Exposure of Workers to the Risks Arising from Physical Agents (Noise) European Union; Brussels, Belgium: 2003.
  30.  
    1. Johnson A.C., Morata T.C. Occupational exposure to chemicals and hearing impairment. [(accessed on 8 March 2021)];Arbete Och Halsa. 2010 44:1–177. Available online: https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/23240/1/gupea2077232401.pdf.
  31.  
    1. Le T., Straatman L., Lea J., Westerberg B. Current insights in noise-induced hearing loss: A literature review of the underlying mechanism, pathophysiology, asymmetry, and management options. J. Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg. 2017;46:41. doi: 10.1186/s40463-017-0219-x. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
  32.  
    1. Kitcher E., Ocansey G., Tumpi D. Early occupational hearing loss of workers in a stone crushing industry: Our experience in a developing country. Noise Health. 2012;14:68. doi: 10.4103/1463-1741.95134. - DOI - PubMed
  33.  
    1. Abraham Z., Massawe E., Ntunaguzi D., Kahinga A., Mawala S. Prevalence of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss among Textile Industry Workers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Ann. Glob. Health. 2019;85:85. doi: 10.5334/aogh.2352. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
  34.  
    1. Robinson T., Whittaker J., Acharya A., Singh D., Smith M. Prevalence of noise induced hearing loss among woodworkers in Nepal: A pilot study. Int. J. Occup. Environ. Health. 2015;21:14–22. doi: 10.1179/2049396714Y.0000000084. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
  35.  
    1. Dement J., Welch L., Ringen K., Cranford K., Quinn P. Hearing loss among older construction workers: Updated analyses. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2018;61:326–335. doi: 10.1002/ajim.22827. - DOI - PubMed
  36.  
    1. Eldin W., Khalil S., Elhosseiny D., Shaarawy M. Occupational noise-induced hearing loss and hypertension: A cross-sectional study among dry food factory workers. Egypt. J. Community Med. 2016;34:79–91.
  37.  
    1. Hong O. Hearing loss among operating engineers in American construction industry. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health. 2005;78:565–574. doi: 10.1007/s00420-005-0623-9. - DOI - PubMed
  38.  
    1. House R., Sauvé J., Jiang D. Noise-induced hearing loss in construction workers being assessed for hand arm vibration syndrome. [(accessed on 24 April 2019)];Can. J. Public Health. 2010 Available online: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41995446. - PMC - PubMed
  39.  
    1. Carroll Y., Eichwald J. CDC research on non-occupational NIHL. Heart J. 2017;70:40. doi: 10.1097/01.HJ.0000515654.42611.16. - DOI
  40.  
    1. Masterson E., Tak S., Themann C., Wall D., Groenewold M., Deddens J., Calvert G. Prevalence of hearing loss in the United States by industry. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2013;56:670–681. doi: 10.1002/ajim.22082. - DOI - PubMed
  41.  
    1. Wegman D., McGee J. Health and Safety Needs of Older Workers. National Academies Press; Washington, DC, USA: 2004.
  42.  
    1. Alahmad B., Kurdi H., Colonna K., Gasana J., Agnew J., Fox M. COVID-19 stressors on migrant workers in Kuwait: Cumulative risk considerations. BMJ Glob. Health. 2020;5:e002995. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002995. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
  43.  
    1. KEPA . Decision No. 210/2001. Environment Public Authority; Kuwait City, Kuwait: 2001.
  44.  
    1. KEPA . Decision Number (4) for the Year 2020. Environment Public Authority; Kuwait City, Kuwait: 2020.
  45.  
    1. Ministerial Resolution No. (208) of 2011. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Manpower; Kuwait City, Kuwait: 2011. [(accessed on 25 February 2021)]. Available online: https://www.manpower.gov.kw/docs/LaborLaw/18.pdf.
  46.  
    1. CDC. NOISH A Model Hearing Conservation Program. [(accessed on 14 July 2020)];2005 Available online: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/userfiles/workshops/hlp1/03-byrneconser....
  47.  
    1. Neufeld A., Westerberg B.D., Nabi S., Bryce G., Bureau Y. Prospective, randomized controlled assessment of the short- and long-term efficacy of a hearing conservation education program in Canadian elementary school children. Laryngoscope. 2011;121:176–181. doi: 10.1002/lary.21185. - DOI - PubMed
  48.  
    1. Joy G.J., Middendorf P.J. Noise exposure and hearing conservation in U.S. coal mines—A surveillance report. J. Occup. Environ. Hyg. 2007;4:26–35. doi: 10.1080/15459620601067209. - DOI - PubMed
  49.  
    1. Royster J.D. Preventing noise-induced hearing loss. North Carol. Med. J. 2017;78:113–117. doi: 10.18043/ncm.78.2.113. - DOI - PubMed
  50.  
    1. Tikka C., Verbeek J.H., Kateman E., Morata T.C., Dreschler W.A., Ferrite S. Interventions to prevent occupational noise-induced hearing loss. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 2017;7:CD006396. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006396.pub4. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Page Navigation