勞工聽力常模值之研究

A Study of Normative Data of Hearing Threshold as a Function of Age

噪音對人體的影響除了造成談話的干擾外，亦會對生理、心理上造成不適，其中對人體傷害最直接的為聽力損失。在1998年國內一份有關噪音引起聽力損失的研究結果顯示，於高噪音環境作業的勞工的確有較明顯聽力損失的情形，然而在評估勞工因噪音的暴露引起聽力損失時，實應先探討年齡因素對聽力閥值的影響。本研究收集15歲到65歲間，通過問卷及耳朵理學檢查篩選的584名男性和634名女性受測者，進行純音聽力測試。研究結果顯示，國人的純音靈敏度隨年齡增加而漸呈退化，尤其是在高頻率。在性別的聽力差異方面，男性和女性的純音聽力閥值只在左耳1kHz、2kHz、3kHz、4kHz、6kHz出現差異。因此在診斷勞工的聽力損失時，應考慮年齡、性別因素造成的部分。最後本研究建立之勞工聽力常模值，可作為日後勞工聽力損失之年齡校正因子，使勞工聽力損失的診斷更為準確。

Besides the interference to conversation, effects of noise to human bodies include discomfort, both mentally and physically. Among them, the most direct damage is the loss of hearing. Laborers working under highly noisy environment experiencing hearing loss is a proven fact. The age factor on the hearing loss of laborers exposed in noisy environment is the objective of this work. In this study, 584 men and 634 women (aged from 15 to 65) who were selected by investigation and otological examination received pure-tone hearing tests. The results indicated that the pure-tone sensitivity of the general population deteriorates with the increasing of age, especially in high frequency tones tests. As for the impact of gender on hearing sensitivity, significant difference was observed in left ear for 1,2,3,4,6 kHz tones. Therefore, investigating the hearing loss of laborers should consider the factors of age and gender. Finally, this study established the normative data of hearing thresholds, which can be used as the age correcting factor in investigating the hearing loss of laborers to obtain more accurate hering loss evaluations.