PROFESSIONAL HEARING LOSS IS A SOCIALLY SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM

Occupational hearing loss is a socially significant disease that occupies the first place in the structure of occupational morbidity of the working-age population of Russia and causes the loss of professional suitability of the employee. The purpose of the research is to analyze the modern aspects of the social significance of professional hearing loss from noise exposure. Material and methods. A systematic analysis of the results of studies published over a 10-year period was performed. The search and synthesis of information was carried out by the keywords «occupational noise exposure or permissible exposure limit or dose-response relationship or acceptable noise level and noise-induced hearing loss» (production noise or permissible level or dose-effect dependence or hearing loss caused by noise) in the Medline database (www.pubmed.com). Results. The disease of the auditory organ of noise etiology - chronic sensorineural (sensorineural) hearing loss (ChSHL), develops in persons working in conditions of exposure to industrial noise exceeding the maximum permissible levels. Early detection and rehabilitation of hearing disorders from noise is of great socioeconomic and deontological importance, allowing to extend the professional suitability of the employee. Discussion. The social significance of hearing loss from noise is determined by the inconsistent provisions of the main regulatory documents that determine additional contraindications for hearing for workers entering or working in the «noise» professions. Insufficiently competent attitude to the diagnosis, incorrect hygienic assessment of noise parameters, erroneous expert decisions and incorrect assessment of the degree of hearing loss, affect the unjustified growth of hearing loss from noise. Conclusion. Social aspects of professional ChSHL are caused by the loss of professional ability to work in the preretirement age, difficulties in diagnosis, imperfection of the examination of the connection of the disease with the profession, imperfection of regulatory documents on professional selection and aptitude, shortcomings of rehabilitation measures. The growth of indicators of professional ChSHL causes unjustified disability of workers in working age, economic losses of employers and the state and determines the social significance of the disease.

hearing loss from noise exposure, professional sensorineural hearing loss, social aspects