ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the current status and influencing factors of hearing loss in the suspected occupational noise-induced deafness(ONID) among welders in Nantong City. METHODS: A total of 3 265 noise-exposed welders who underwent the occupational health examination in Nantong City in 2017 were collected as the study subjects by judgment sampling method. The data of occupational medical examination of these welders was collected. The incidence and influencing factors of suspected ONID were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 159 cases of suspected ONID were detected and the detection rate was 4.87%. The suspected ONID was mainly mild noise-induced deafness, accounting for 82.39%(131/159). The abnormal rates of 4 000 Hz hearing threshold in the left and right ears of suspected ONID cases were higher than that of 3 000 Hz in the corresponding ears(100.00% vs 93.08%, 98.11% vs 92.45%, P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age and length of service during noise exposure were risk factors for suspected ONID(P<0.05). The risks of suspected ONID among welders in general equipment manufacturing industry, metal products industry, other industries, electrical machinery and equipment manufacturing industry, and manufacturing of equipment of railways, ships, aerospace and other transportations were lower than that in computer, communication and other electronic equipment manufacturing industry. The odds ratio(OR) and 95% confidence interval(95%CI) were 0.341(0.155-0.752), 0.264(0.112-0.620), 0.149(0.038-0.582), 0.110(0.035-0.341), 0.418(0.179-0.972), respectively. The risk of suspected ONID among welders in state-owned enterprises was lower than that in private enterprises(OR=0.254, 95%CI 0.116-0.559,P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The age, service length of noise exposure, type of enterprise industry and economy of enterprise are all influencing factors of suspected ONID in electric welding workers in Nantong City.