Elsevier

Preventive Medicine

Volume 53, Issue 6, 1 December 2011, Pages 390-394
Preventive Medicine

Exposure to workplace noise and the risk of cardiovascular disease events and mortality among older adults

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2011.10.001Get rights and content

Abstract

Background

We aimed to examine whether cross-sectional (prevalence) and longitudinal relationships (5-year incidence and 10-year mortality) exist between workplace noise exposure and cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Methods

2942 participants aged 55+ years of the Blue Mountains Eye Study, Australia (1997–9 and 2002–4). Participants self-reported workplace noise exposure, hearing protector use and physician diagnosed CVD. CVD deaths were confirmed using the Australian National Death Index.

Results

133 and 937 participants self-reported workplace noise exposure, and use or non-use of hearing protection devices, respectively. After multivariate adjustment, those who did not use hearing protection devices were 53% and 75% more likely to have prevalent CVD and angina, respectively, compared to those never exposed to workplace noise. Exposure to severe workplace noise for less than 1 to 5 years versus no exposure was associated with incident stroke OR 3.44 (95% CI 1.11–10.63). The mortality rate of CVD was 0.94% per year in people unexposed to workplace noise. Participants reporting less than 1 to 5 years versus those with no workplace noise exposure had a higher risk of CVD mortality, hazard ratio, HR, 1.60 (95% CI 1.10–2.33).

Discussion

These data highlight the public health impact of workplace noise exposure on the vascular health of older adults.

Introduction

Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide (Alberti, 1998, Anon., 1998), established CVD risk factors account for only around 50% of variance in the incidence of myocardial infarction (Morris et al., 2001, Willich et al., 2006). Noise is identified as the most ubiquitous of hazardous workplace exposures (Davies et al., 2005).

Chronic workplace noise exposure may be associated with an increased risk of CVD, such as coronary heart disease (CHD) (Gan et al., 2011, Melamed et al., 1999, Passchier-Vermeer and Passchier, 2000, Virkkunen et al., 2005). However, data from previous studies are equivocal (McNamee et al., 2006, Willich et al., 2006). Many published studies did not adequately adjust for potential confounders and/or were limited by small sample sizes, cross-sectional study design and/or did not capture the exposure reduction resulting from hearing protection device use (Davies et al., 2005, Gan et al., 2011, van Kempen et al., 2002). Using 6307 participants aged 20+ years, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) showed that chronic workplace noise exposure was associated with a 2- to 3-fold higher prevalence of CVD (Gan et al., 2011). Conversely, a German case–control study of 4115 patients, demonstrated that occupational noise exposure was not associated with risk of myocardial infarction in men (p = 0.05) and women (p = 0.67) (Willich et al., 2006). Additionally, some but not all studies have shown a link between occupational noise exposure and increased risk of CHD death (Davies et al., 2005, McNamee et al., 2006).

Using a cohort of adults aged 55 years and older, we compared the prevalence and incidence of CVD and stroke, and CVD mortality among those without and without workplace noise exposure.

Section snippets

Study participants

The Blue Mountains Eye Study (BMES) is a population-based cohort study, as described elsewhere (Mitchell et al., 1995). During 1992–4, 3654 participants 49 years or older were examined (82.4% participation; BMES-1). BMES-2 (1997–1999) included 3509 participants; 2335 who were reexamined from the baseline cohort (75.1%) and a further 1174 who were examined because they qualified by moving into the area or into the age bracket (extension study). At BMES-3 (2002–2004) or 10-year follow-up, 1952

Results

Those exposed to workplace noise compared to those not exposed were more likely to be younger, male, current smoker, have poor-self reported health, CVD, angina and AMI, and higher levels of physical activity, and consume more dietary fats (Table 1). Participants were on average 2 and 9 years younger than surviving and deceased non-participants, respectively (Table 2). Deceased non-participants differed from participants in all characteristics apart from workplace noise exposure, systolic and

Discussion

Workplace noise exposure, particularly, chronic exposure was significantly associated with prevalent angina and CVD. We show that persons exposed to severe workplace noise for a short duration (five years or less) at baseline, had a 3-fold higher risk of incident stroke at follow-up. Finally, less than 1 to 5 years of occupational noise exposure prior to the baseline study was associated with a 60% increased risk of dying from CVD ten years later.

Participants reporting exposure to noise in

Conclusions

Workplace noise exposure was significantly associated with the prevalence of CVD and angina. The link between less than 1 to 5 years of severe noise exposure in the workplace and increased risk of incident stroke is a novel finding. Less than 1 to 5 years duration of occupational noise exposure compared to being never exposed was also associated with a 60% higher risk of CVD mortality over 10 years. These data could help inform preventive strategies, particularly focusing on those persons who are

Funding

The Blue Mountains Eye Study was supported by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (Grant Nos. 974159, 991407, 211069, 262120). The authors also acknowledge financial support from the HEARing CRC, established and supported under the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centres Program.

Conflict of interest statement

None.

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