Non-Auditory Damages of Industrial Noise in Workers of a Textile Factory

Elena-Ana Pãuncu

Institute of Public Health “Prof. Dr. Leonida Georgescu” Timisoara, Romania

Corresponding author: Elena-Ana Pãuncu
    Institute of Public Health “Prof. Dr. Leonida Georgescu” Timisoara, Romania
    Bd. Dr. V. Babes 16-18
    RO-1900 Timisoara
    Romania
    Telephone: (+40) 56 192 101
    Fax number: (+40) 56 192 101
    E-mail: eapauncu@cmssc.soros.tm.ro

CEJOEM 2000, Vol.6. No.2-3.:171-175

Key words:
Professional noise, arterial hypertension, female workers, cardiovascular symptoms

Abstract:
In this study, non-auditory effects of the industrial noise are dealt with. It concerns female workers in a textile factory of Timisoara City.
    On the basis of a questionnaire, clinical examination, blood pressure measuring, hematological and biochemical analysis of blood, and standard electrocardiographic records, work conditions and their impact on health were investigated. The data were processed by means of the EPI 6 Info Program using the Relative Risk, the Odds Ratio and the chi-square tests (uncorrected and corrected by Mantel-Haentzel and Yates).
    The noise levels ranged between 94 and 116 dB (A), i.e., they exceeded the Romanian limit of 90 dB (A). By its spectral features, the noise belonged to the group of high frequency continual industrial noises.
    In the study, 86 workers were involved in the exposed group (mean age: 38.837 ± 5.996; length of exposure to noise: 21.209 ± 5.768 years) and 32 workers in the control group (mean age: 44.063 ± 6.444). All subjects were female. The two groups were similar in life style and antecedents. The most important symptoms in the exposed group were fatigue, sleeplessness, irritability, headache, dizziness, and chronic rhinopharingeal complaints. Objective signs were an end-shift increase of the blood pressure and foot edema. In noise exposure, statistically significant differences were found for headache (p = 0.0093900), foot edema (p = 0.0339650), left ventricular hypertrophy (p = 0.0371661), and ischemic changes of the electrocardiogram (p = 0.0082321). In both groups, the resting blood pressure did not show any significant increase in either of the groups. In the exposed group, the after-shift values of systolic and diastolic pressures were higher than those in the morning in 31 and 35 cases, respectively (p < 0.03).

Received: 31 July 2000
Accepted: 13 November 2000

| Back |