AUTHOR=Shi Zhihao , Wang Xin , Gao Xiangjing , Xie Hongwei , Zhou Lifang , Zhang Meibian 

TITLE=Assessment of Occupational Hearing Loss Associated With Non-Gaussian Noise Using the Kurtosis-Adjusted Cumulative Noise Exposure Metric: A Cross-Sectional Survey

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.870312

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2022.870312

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=Objective There is little literature on the validity of kurtosis-adjusted noise energy metrics in human studies. Therefore, this study aimed to validate the application of kurtosis-adjusted cumulative noise exposure (CNE) metric in evaluating occupational hearing loss associated with non-Gaussian noise among manufacturing workers. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 1558 manufacturing workers exposed to noise from 5 industries to collect noise exposure and hearing loss data. Both CNE and kurtosis-adjusted CNE (CNE) were collapsed into 2-dB(A)∙year bins, and the mean noise-induced permanent threshold shifts at 3, 4, and 6 kHz (NIPTS346) in each bin were calculated. The contributions of CNE and CNE to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) were compared using the multiple linear regression. The degree of overlap of two linear regression equations (i.e., between CNE and NIPTS346 for non-Gaussian noise and between CNE and NIPTS346 for Gaussian noise) was used to evaluate the validity of the CNE using a stratified analysis based on age and sex. Results Multiple linear regression models showed that after kurtosis adjustment, the standardized regression coefficient of CNE increased from 0.230 to 0.255, and R2 increased from 0.147 to 0.153. The linear relationship between NIPTS346 and CNE or CNE showed that the regression line of non-Gaussian noise was closer to that of Gaussian noise when using CNE than using CNE. The mean difference in NIPTS346 between the equations of non-Gaussian noise and Gaussian noise was significantly reduced from 4.32 to 1.63 dB HL after kurtosis adjustment (t=12.00, P<0.001). Through a stratified analysis, these significant decreases were observed in male and female workers, and workers aged ≥30 years old. Conclusions As a noise exposure metric combining noise energy and temporal characteristics, the kurtosis-adjusted CNE metric was more effective than CNE alone in assessing occupational hearing loss among manufacturing workers in non-Gaussian noise environment. However, more studies are needed to verify the validity of the kurtosis-adjusted CNE metric.