Coexposure to Solvents and Noise as a Risk Factor for Hearing Loss in Agricultural Workers
Alexandra A. Farfalla, Cheryl L. Beseler, Chandran Achutan, Risto Rautiainen
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study addressed the relationship of hearing loss and coexposure to solvents and noise among farmers and ranchers in central United States. METHODS: The surveillance study included surveys to stratified random samples of operations in 2018 and 2020 (n = 34,146), requesting information on injuries, illnesses, exposures, and preventive measures. Responses (n = 7495) were analyzed using hierarchical multinomial logistic regression, adjusting for personal and work characteristics. RESULTS: Nearly 60% of respondents exposed to both solvents and noise reported hearing loss. The exposures increased the adjusted odds of moderate/severe hearing loss as follows: solvents alone, (odds ratio [OR], 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93-2.38), noise alone (OR, 4.42; 95% CI, 3.39-5.76), and coexposure to both noise and solvents (OR, 6.03; 95% CI, 4.67-7.78). CONCLUSIONS: Solvent exposure, along with noise, should be considered in hearing conservation programs among farmers and ranchers.