The impact of occupational noise exposure and daily headphone use on hearing loss among petroleum workers.

Abstract

This study analyzes the impact of occupational noise exposure and daily headphone use on noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in petroleum workers. The study included 2092 workers from a Chinese petroleum enterprise. Occupational health examinations and baseline questionnaires were conducted from 2017 to 2018, with annual follow-ups from 2019 to 2024. The daily headphone use score (DHUS) was constructed using the XGBOOST+SHAP model. Associations between cumulative noise exposure (CNE), DHUS, and NIHL were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards and restricted cubic spline regression, with sensitivity analyses. The incidence of NIHL among petroleum workers was 24.0 %. After adjusting for confounders, CNE and DHUS were positively associated with the risk of NIHL. The HR (95 % CI) for CNE < 80, 80~, 85~, 90~, and ≥ 95 dB·years were 1.47 (1.09, 1.98), 1.49 (1.13, 1.96), 1.66 (1.26, 2.20), 1.75 (1.36, 2.27), and 1.85 (1.43, 2.41), respectively. For DHUS <31.9, 31.9~, 52.9~, and ≥ 73.0, the HR (95 % CI) were 1.54 (1.08, 2.19), 1.94 (1.42, 2.65), 2.11 (1.51, 2.96), and 2.48 (1.78, 3.47). Additionally, we found non-linear relationships between CNE, DHUS, and NIHL (P was 0.003 and 0.007). As CNE and DHUS rise, the risk of NIHL among petroleum workers increases. Therefore, individuals exposed to occupational noise should reduce improper headphone use in daily life to help lower the risk of NIHL and improve the health of petroleum workers.