ABSTRACT
RESUMO Objetivo Investigar a percepção do ruído, a ocorrência de efeitos auditivos e extra-auditivos e a qualidade de vida de professores do ensino fundamental e médio de escolas públicas. Métodos Estudo realizado com 57 professores de 15 escolas públicas, homens e mulheres, que responderam a um questionário elaborado para a ocasião, com perguntas relacionadas ao perfil ocupacional e à saúde auditiva. Também foram submetidos à versão abreviada do instrumento Quality of Life-Bref Questionnaire (WHOQOL-Bref). Resultados Dentre os professores participantes do estudo, muitos apresentaram algum efeito auditivo ou extra-auditivo. Os professores sem ansiedade e cefaleia tiveram melhores escores nos domínios psicológico, ambiental e escore geral de qualidade de vida do WHOQOL-Bref, enquanto aqueles sem intolerância a sons intensos e zumbido apresentaram melhor qualidade de vida nos domínios físico e social. Conclusão Os professores demonstraram conhecer as consequências da exposição ao ruído, mas sem considerá-la um risco ocupacional. Entre os efeitos investigados, a presença de zumbido, intolerância a sons intensos, ansiedade e cefaleia esteve relacionada à pior qualidade de vida.
ABSTRACT Purpose To investigate perception of noise, occurrence of auditory and extra-auditory effects and teachers' quality of life of elementary and secondary education in public schools. Methods This study was carried out with 57 teachers from 15 public schools, both men and women, who answered to a questionnaire prepared for this occasion, questioning about occupational profile and hearing health. They were also submitted to an abbreviated version of Quality of Life-Bref Questionnaire (WHOQOL-Bref). Results Among the teachers participating in this study, many of them had some auditory or extra-auditory effect. The teachers without anxiety or headache had better scores in psychological and environmental domains and in the general scores of quality of life of WHOQOL-Bref - while those without intolerance to loud sounds and tinnitus had better quality of life in the physical and social domains. Conclusion The teachers proved that they knew the consequences of noise exposure, but did not consider it as an occupational hazard. Among the effects investigated, the presence of tinnitus, intolerance to intense sounds, anxiety and headache were related to worse quality of life.