Associations between social class and labor hipoacusia Asociaciones entre clase social e hipoacusia laboral

Abstract

Introduction: exposure to noise is part of our daily, cultural and leisure habits. In the work environment different sounds can be harmful to the ears. The present text tries to identify the influence that exists between social class and work-related hearing loss in the city of Cúcuta, aged between 17 and 70 years.

Methods: It is observational, analytical and cross-sectional. The studied population consisted of individuals working in the public and private sector of the municipality of Cúcuta. They underwent an occupational audiometric examination by the Speech-Audiology program.

Results: It was determined that most of the workers, 54.05%, are members of a low social class; 65% of workers are exposed to noise at work, 60% of workers do not use personal protection elements and 30% of evaluated workers have hearing loss.

Analysis and discussion: there is a significant association between work activity and non-work activity of the age group, predominant in males with a representation of 63%, this can be explained given the cultural context in which the study was conducted.

Conclusions: in Colombia, there is little information on social class and work-related hearing loss. An analysis of socio-spatial segregation of both households and the disease must be carried out in order to determine which diseases are associated to work activity.