Abstract / Summary
Background: Occupational exposure to sustained high-noise levels in intensive care units (ICUs) could pose significant auditory health risks for healthcare professionals.
Aim: This investigation evaluates the prevalence and characteristics of hearing impairment among nursing staff working in an intensive care unit (ICU) versus non-ICU environments within Chinese healthcare facilities.
Study design: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a hospital in Chongqing, China. Participants underwent comprehensive audiological assessments including pure-tone audiometry (PTA) and Chinese digits-in-noise (DIN) (testing for speech reception thresholds (SRT)). Statistical analyses employed univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to identify independent predictors of hearing impairment.
Results: A total of 93 registered nurses (45 ICU and 48 non-ICU) were included in the final analysis. ICU nurses demonstrated significantly worse hearing thresholds compared to non-ICU counterparts, particularly at high frequencies (4-8 kHz). Approximately 20% of ICU nurses exhibited hearing loss (> 25 dB HL) at high frequencies, compared to 10% in non-ICU settings. Working in ICU environments (adjusted OR = 2.82, 95% CI: 1.25-6.35), working 50-60 h per week (adjusted OR = 4.15, 95% CI: 1.18-14.60), and working more than 60 h per week (adjusted OR = 5.85, 95% CI: 1.55-22.10) emerged as significant independent predictors of hearing impairment. Speech reception thresholds were significantly poorer among ICU nurses (p < 0.05), with PTA thresholds showing a strong correlation with SRT performance (r = 0.824, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis identified 2 kHz as the most critical frequency contributing to speech understanding in noise for both groups.
Conclusions: This study provides compelling evidence of elevated hearing impairment risk among ICU nurses compared to non-ICU nursing staff in China. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted occupational health interventions and hearing conservation programmes for nursing staff working in high-noise environments.
Relevance to clinical practice: This study emphasises the necessity of targeted occupational health measures for ICU nurses, particularly those with prolonged working hours. Clinical protocols should prioritise monitoring high-frequency hearing thresholds and incorporating speech-in-noise assessments to detect functional deficits. Furthermore, implementing workload management strategies is essential to mitigate the dose-response risk of noise exposure and preserve nurses' long-term auditory health.