Table 4.
Association between HL (from slight to severe) and noise-producing activities at work expressed as relative risk ratio (RRR)
| Hearing loss, RRR (95% CI) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||||||
| Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 | Model 4 | ||||
| Being in noisy environment | |||||||
| ≤5 years | 1.05 (0.39−2.86) | 0.97 (0.28−3.38) | 0.21 (0.04−1.27) | 0.88 (0.23−3.41) | |||
| 6–15 yrs | 0.97 (0.36−2.65) | 1.35 (0.39−4.72) | 0.21 (0.03−1.27) | 1.63 (0.44−6.03) | |||
| ≥16 yrs | 2.15 (0.78−5.93) | 2.79 (0.88−8.80) | 1.10 (0.21−5.81) | 3.42 (1.03−11.37)* | |||
| Never | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | |||
| Working with noise-producing equipment | |||||||
| ≤5 years | 2.02 (0.84−4.83) | 2.47 (0.85−7.13) | 0.84 (0.19−3.71) | 2.19 (0.73−6.58) | |||
| 6–15 yrs | 2.57 (1.04−6.35)* | 2.82 (0.89−8.95) | 1.25 (0.30−5.26) | 2.24 (0.69−7.33) | |||
| ≥16 yrs | 6.50 (1.63−25.93)* | 8.19 (1.91−35.17)* | 10.69 (1.00−114.03)* | 8.24 (1.87−36.45)* | |||
| Never | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | |||
| Riding in PASI or Bandvagn | |||||||
| ≤5 years | 2.73 (1.22−6.05)* | 3.28 (1.24−8.71)* | 1.58 (0.45−5.50) | 2.92 (1.08−7.92)* | |||
| 6–15 yrs | 5.36 (1.10−26.08)* | 9.74 (1.28−74.23)* | 7.83 (0.95−64.88) | 5.22 (0.57−47.50) | |||
| Has not driven | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | |||
| Shooting with blanks | |||||||
| At least once per week | 3.64 (1.12−11.82)* | 3.63 (0.85−15.42) | 5.56 (0.44−70.09) | 3.11 (0.70−13.79) | |||
| Never | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | |||
| Shooting small-calibre weapons | |||||||
| At least once per week | 3.44 (0.62−19.16) | 1.25 (0.16−9.63) | − | 1.20 (0.15−9.53) | |||
| Never | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | |||
| Shooting large-calibre weapons | |||||||
| At least once per week | 1.32 (0.55−3.15) | 1.52 (0.49−4.69) | 1.58 (0.32−7.88) | 1.24 (0.39−3.95) | |||
| Never | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | |||
| Regular exposure to loud noise in non-military environment | |||||||
| Less than once per week | 1.02 (0.49−2.16) | 1.18 (0.48−2.95) | 1.61 (0.47−5.59) | − | |||
| More than once per week | 1.18 (0.46−3.06) | 1.28 (0.40−4.13) | 1.90 (0.42−8.64) | − | |||
| Never | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | 1.00 (Ref) | − | |||
*P < 0.05; RRR, relative risk ratio; CI, confidence interval. Model 1 adjusted to age; Model 2 adjusted to previous health disorders and age; Model 3 adjusted to listening to music and age; Model 4 adjusted to previous health problems, listening to music, regular exposure to loud noise, and age. Previous health problems refer to having had an ear infection as a child, sudden hearing loss and using ototoxic medications. Listening to music refers to listening to a music player and visiting clubs or rock concerts.