An observed relationship between vestibular function and auditory thresholds in aircraft-maintenance workers.

Maya Guest, May Boggess, Catherine D'Este, John Attia, Anthony Brown

School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Hunter Building, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia. maya.guest@newcastle.edu.au

Journal of occupational and environmental medicine / American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2011 Feb

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We sought to examine the vestibular function and whether an association exists between vestibular function and hearing thresholds in a group of military aircraft-maintenance workers with exposures to high levels of noise and organic solvents, relative to two different comparison groups. Vestibular function (using functional reach) and hearing (with pure-tone audiometry) were assessed in 601 exposed personnel, compared with two unexposed groups (500 technical trade and 391 nontrade). Linear regression model showed that functional reach was slightly better for the comparison groups than the exposed group, with only one group being statistically significant, and there was a significant association between vestibular function and auditory thresholds at 500 and 1000 Hz. This study has demonstrated a relationship between low-frequency hearing loss, vestibular dysfunction, anxiety, and depression in an occupational population.

Citation

Maya Guest, May Boggess, Catherine D'Este, John Attia, Anthony Brown. An observed relationship between vestibular function and auditory thresholds in aircraft-maintenance workers. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine / American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2011 Feb;53(2):146-52