ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: In order to establish prevalence and characteristics of tinnitus and hearing thresholds according to tinnitus, this study was carried out. METHODS: Nine hundred and thirty two subjects, undergone human dock or general health check-up and been in college, were surveyed to the questionnaire on the general characteristics, past medical histories, life styles, subjective symptoms about hearing, taking ototoxic drugs and were conducted on the hearing thresholds by pure tone audiometry. RESULTS: Of the total population, 98 reported tinnitus, giving an overall prevalence of 10.5%, prevalence of tinnitus in the subjects with the factors infuencing hearing thresholds were 17.4 %, prevalence without the factors influencing hearing thresholds were 7.5 %. Frequency of tinnitus of the total population was the highest in 'once per several months'(39.6 %) and followed by' once per several days'(29.7 %), 'all day long'(16.5 %) and' several times per day'(14.3 %). Complaint site of tinnitus was 41.8 % in left ear or right ear 39.6 % in both ear and 18.7 % in head. The 13.6% of the total subjects complained sleep disturbance. Hearing thresholds in the subjects without the factors influencing hearing thresholds tended to increase or decrease in 20 and 30 years old according to tinnitus, but those with, tinnitus tended to increase more than chose without tinnitus in 40 and 50 years old. CONCLUSIONS: Results also provide evidence that reports of tinnitus at the time of annual audiometric testing may be useful in identifying workers at greater risk for developing significant shifts in hearing thresholds. Awareness of the possible occurrence of tinnitus may encourage worker to cooperate more actively in a company hearing conservation programme.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Middle Aged , Audiometry , Ear , Head , Hearing , Life Style , Prevalence , Surveys and Questionnaires , TinnitusABSTRACT
No abstract available.
Subject(s)
Erythrocyte Membrane , Erythrocytes , Hydroxyl Radical , Lipid Peroxidation , Macrophages, Alveolar , Mineral FibersABSTRACT
No abstract available.
Subject(s)
Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid , Bronchoalveolar Lavage , SilicosisABSTRACT
An attempt to confirm the associations of some selected risk factors of HBV infection and measure their risks, a cross-sectional study with 1,209 urban office workers was carried out. For the study, a simple questionnaire which contained several questions on personal experience and behaviors on several known selected risk factors of HBV infection was applied to each subject, and the Hepatitis B virus surface antigen and its antibody were checked by RPHA and PHA method, respectively. Risk factors chosen for this study were experience of blood transfusion and personal contact variables, such as frequencies of eating-out, drinking after office hours, going to tea room, sharing cigarettes, etc. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The proportion of HBsAg positive was 10.6%, and total HVB infected including the Anti-HBs positive cases without vaccination was 44.2%. Both were higher in male than in female. 2. Frequent personal contact through glasses and dishes in eating-outs and drinkings turned out not to be a significant risk factor of Hepatitis B surface antigenecity. 3. Frequent visits to tea room was a significant risk factor of HBV infection which combined HBsAg positive cases and Anti-HBs cases who had not received HBV vaccination. The odds ratio was 1.56. 4. Blood transfusion was not a significant risk factor of both HBsAg positive and total HBV infection. In summary, indirect oral contacts through eating-outs and drinkings was not significant risk factor in Korea at least between adults. Blood transfusion is no more mafor source of HBV infection in Korea probably because the adquate screening test of HBsAg for the blood donors is being made.