ABSTRACT
Purpose:
to investigate and to associate hearing disorders self-perception, habits and hearing loss risk factors in farmers.
Methods:
descriptive and exploratory cross-sectional study. 57 farmers from both sexes, age from 19 to 69 years, and time of farming activities from one to 45 years, participated in the study. A questionnaire with identification data, profession data, general health, hearing health, and medical assistance was addressed to the participants. Data were analyzed using the following non-parametric statistical tests: Mann-Whitney, Equality of two proportions, and Chi-square (p≤0.05).
Results:
the majority of farmers did not report hearing complaints; regarding risk factors, most of participants reported contact to pesticides and also not to having any guidance about the risks of farming to hearing health; there was higher report of noise exposition and handling pesticides in males; big part of participants used individual protection devices while operating noise equipment and were handling pesticides; there was no statistical differences among hearing factors and risk factors.
Conclusion:
as conclusion, the studied population did not have perception about hearing disorders, despite direct handling pesticides and not ever have had guidance about hearing risks in farming activity. Most of the subjects operated noise equipment and had contact to pesticides in their jobs, but they used individual protection device.
Keywords:
Agriculture; Environmental Exposure; Hearing Loss; Occupational Risks; Occupational Health.
