Occupational hearing loss became the leading occupational disease by constituting 56% of all work-related diseases in Korea. However, the prevalence rates showed wide variations among the specific medical examination providers (SMEPs) and were
very
low(0.8-1.4%) compared with those of 8.4% in Japan. This study was designed to identify sources of these variations by investigating current audiometric testing methods and the diagnostic criteria utilized by the SMEPs. A questionnaire was
distributed
to each of 27 SMEPs selected from total 70 SMEPs. Among them, 20 SMEPs were interviewed and the rest of them were given the questionnaire form by mail. Included in the survey form were questions concerning audiometric testing methods and
procedures,
equipment, facility, personnel and the diagnostic criteria utilized.
@ES The results were as follows:
@EN 1. Employee audiometric testings were primarily conducted by nurses and nurse-aids who had no formal training for audiometry because no training program had been established. No requirement about the quality of audiometric testing personnel
was
specified in the regulation.
2. Although audiometric testing equipment used by the SMEPs should be periodically calibrated, a significant number of them were not properly calibrated. Most of the calibration services were provided by the outside contractors and were done
with
no
uniformly established periods. No SMEPs conducted the daily functional calibration. Most of the SMEPs did not keep their calibration records.
3. Initial audiometric testings were conducted at any available spaces in the workplace of at the testing room without considering noise level in that place. Follow-up audiometric testings were also provided without considering the worker's
noise
exposure. Although audiometric booths were used during the follow-up testings, most of them did not meet the ANSI noise requirement for audiometric booths.
4. Although a standard diagnostic criterion was promulgated in the law, the criterion was not used uniformly by the SMEPs. In addition, some SMEPs were applying age corrections which were not incorporated into the regulation yet. Therefore wide
range
of prevalence in NIHL among SMEPs could have possibly been caused by variable audiometric testing procedures and methods.
In conclusion, it was recommended that systematical and general measures, such as formal and regular training program for testers, quality control regulation of instrument calibration, and establishment of standard diagnostic criteria, be
established
for solving current problems and assuring equity among SMEPs in diagnosing occupational hearing losses.
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