Annals of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (ISSN 2835-7132) | Volume 5, Issue 4 | Case Report | Open Access
Sankalpa Mahadev*
Mudnakudu Bhogananjappa Madalambika2, Sankalpa Mahadev1*
1Department of Audiology, JSS Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
2MVM College of Speech and Hearing, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
*Correspondence to: Sankalpa Mahadev
Fulltext PDFOccupational noise exposure remains a significant public health concern worldwide, with factory workers disproportionately affected by hazardous noise levels in their daily work environments. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 16% of disabling hearing loss in adults is attributable to occupational noise exposure, representing a substantial preventable burden of disease. Despite regulations mandating hearing conservation programs in many countries, noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) remains one of the most prevalent occupational health conditions worldwide.
Factory environments frequently generate noise levels exceeding 85 dBA-the threshold above which hearing damage can occur with prolonged exposure. Unlike many occupational hazards, the effects of noise exposure are often insidious, developing gradually over time without obvious immediate symptoms. This delayed manifestation contributes to lower risk perception among workers and potentially inadequate preventive behaviors. Furthermore, hearing loss, once established, is permanent and irreversible, emphasizing the critical importance of prevention.
The effectiveness of hearing conservation programs depends not only on engineering controls and administrative measures but significantly on workers' knowledge about noise hazards, attitudes toward hearing protection, and actual protective practices. Educational interventions that address these knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) domains have shown promise in improving hearing protection behaviors, yet their implementation and evaluation remain inconsistent across industrial settings.
This study aims to assess the baseline KAP regarding noise-induced hearing loss among factory employees and to evaluate the impact of a structured educational orientation program on these parameters. By measuring pre- and post-intervention outcomes, this research seeks to identify effective strategies for improving workers' understanding of and compliance with hearing conservation practices, ultimately contributing to the reduction of occupational hearing loss in high-noise industrial environments.
Mudnakudu Bhogananjappa Madalambika, Sankalpa Mahadev. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Factory Employees. Annal of Otol Head and Neck Surg. 2026;5(4):1-10.